The U.S. embassy in Cuba is restarting its visa and consulate services for the first time following a string of health incidents among diplomatic staff in 2017, reports The Associated Press. The embassy will begin processing immigrant visas with the priority of uniting families across both countries.
The U.S. and Cuba have had a historically tense relationship, given that Cuba is a communist country. However, former President Barack Obama worked to improve those relations, removing the island from the State Sponsor of Terrorism list and reopening its U.S. embassy. But former President Donald Trump then reversed a number of Obama-era policies, reintroducing strict travel restrictions and claiming he was "canceling the previous administration's completely one-sided deal."
In 2017, visa and consular services were closed because of a series of unexplained health attacks on American diplomats in Cuba. The U.S. State Department asserted that the attacks were targeted, but those in Cuba maintained they were "unable to support the hypothesis."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Now, the Biden administration is beginning to re-establish an amicable relationship with Cuba, re-introducing the Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program and encouraging the growth of Cuba's private sector. U.S. and Cuban officials had been in talks for months prior to the decision to resume visa services.
"Engaging in these talks underscores our commitment to pursuing constructive discussions with the government of Cuba where appropriate to advance U.S. interests," the U.S. Embassy said in November.
Cuban migrants have been coming to the U.S. in record numbers due to the island's current authoritarian regime, in one instance forcing the closure of a Florida national park. They now are the second-largest group at the southern border following Mexicans.
-
The 8 best dark comedies of the 21st centuryFrom Santa Claus to suicide terrorism, these movies skewered big, taboo subjects
-
France’s ‘red hands’ trial highlights alleged Russian disruption operationsUNDER THE RADAR Attacks on religious and cultural institutions around France have authorities worried about Moscow’s effort to sow chaos in one of Europe’s political centers
-
Crossword: October 30, 2025The Week's daily crossword
-
Senate votes to kill Trump’s Brazil tariffSpeed Read Five Senate Republicans joined the Democrats in rebuking Trump’s import tax
-
Border Patrol gets scrutiny in court, gains power in ICESpeed Read Half of the new ICE directors are reportedly from DHS’s more aggressive Customs and Border Protection branch
-
Shutdown stalemate nears key pain pointsSpeed Read A federal employee union called for the Democrats to to stand down four weeks into the government standoff
-
Chicago: Scenes from a city under siegeFeature Chicago is descending into chaos as masked federal agents target people in public spaces and threaten anyone who tries to document the arrests
-
How are ICE’s recruitment woes complicating Trump’s immigration agenda?TODAY’S BIG QUESTION Lowered training standards and ‘athletically allergic’ hopefuls are hindering the White House plan to turn the Department of Homeland Security into a federal police force
-
Trump vows new tariffs on Canada over Reagan adspeed read The ad that offended the president has Ronald Reagan explaining why import taxes hurt the economy
-
NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges
-
Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction
