immigrants

August 08, 2017: While a single-payer healthcare system may feel like a political fantasy now, it’s certainly not far from the minds of many Americans. Today, The Takeaway explores why the political winds may be changing on universal healthcare. Plus, a look at the staffing shake-ups at the White House; Pakistani elections; Vice President Pence’s bargaining in the Baltic States; immigration costs; and culture and identity at the dinner table. 

Happy Labor Day from The Takeaway! Back on July 4th, The Takeaway visited Thomas Jefferson’s home in Monticello, Virginia for one of the nation’s oldest naturalization ceremonies outside a courtroom. Though the political rhetoric about immigrants and refugees has, at times, been ugly and divisive, in today’s show we focus on the positive, and share some real stories and solutions for fixing our immigration system.

Click on the audio player above to hear this interview.

Since the U.S. and Cuba normalized relations, Cuban migration into the U.S. has spiked exponentially, which is upsetting Central Americans, Mexicans, and other immigrant groups.

In fact, in 2015, over 40,000 Cubans entered the U.S. through land ports, according to Pew Research. Many were flying to Ecuador—until December, visas weren’t required for travel north—before they eventually made their way to the U.S./Mexico border.

At the border, Cubans are asked some simple questions and then given a temporary visa. Once on American soil, they’re given financial assistance and can apply for a green card after a year of residency.

Geoff Thale, the program director at Washington Office on Latin America, an advocacy organization advancing human rights in the Americas, talks about the spike in Cuban migration and its fallout. 

What you’ll learn from this segment:

What’s causing the dramatic spike in Cuban immigration.
How the U.S. approach to Cuban immigration has and hasn’t changed in recent years.
Why other immigrant groups resent Cubans.

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