Cuban migration trends show shift toward European citizenship and declining US residency approvals

Cuban citizens are increasingly seeking second passports, primarily through Spanish ancestry via the Law of Grandchildren or the Democratic Memory Law, to secure freedom of movement and access to healthcare and education. This trend is driven by domestic economic crises, prolonged power outages, and food shortages in Cuba.

Simultaneously, data from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reveals a significant decline in permanent residency approvals for Cubans under the Cuban Adjustment Act. Between April and June 2026, only 139 Cubans obtained residency, representing a 98.7% year-over-year decrease compared to the 10,432 approvals during the same period in the previous year. During the third quarter of fiscal year 2026, USCIS resolved 586 cases for Cubans, approving 139 and denying 447. As of late June, there were 342,360 pending cases.