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by Raimundo Urrechaga
HAVANA, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Cubans welcomed on Friday a White House decision to scrap the so-called "wet foot, dry foot" U.S. immigration policy, which incited some to risk dangerous crossings into the U.S. by water.
On the streets of Havana, locals talked about the new measure, which is expected to promote orderly, safe and legal migration by eliminating special treatment for Cuban citizens when they illegally landed in U.S. territory.
"Over the years it was a very unfair law, because many Cubans died at sea and created many inconveniences for Cuba. It was a very good decision to eliminate that policy," state worker Lazaro Barcaza told Xinhua.
Outgoing U.S. President Barack Obama said Thursday that the United States is ending this special immigration policy that granted residency to Cubans who arrived in the United States without visas.
Cubans also feel that the new step implies a commitment on both sides to promote orderly imigration to the United States, due to its geographical proximity and the large number of Cubans who currently there.
"We have long been waiting for that measure and it is a good step to reestablish and improve immigration ties with the United States," retiree Jose Cabrera, 77, said.
In place since 1995, the "wet foot, dry foot" policy allowed Cubans who succeeded in stepping foot on U.S. soil - often following hazardous journeys aboard rickety boats - to remain in the country and apply for permanent residency.
Cuba has been calling for an end to the policy since 2002, but that was rejected by then-president George W. Bush.
After almost a year of negotiations with the Obama administration, the two governments reached a deal to end the polemic policy earlier this week.
The new decision is one of the measures concerning Cuba that Obama are making in his final days in office, with an eye to consolidating his foreign policy changes towards the Caribbean island.
Since formal diplomatic relations were restored in July of 2015, agreements in security, energy, air transportation, environment, commerce and tourism have been signed between the two countries.
However, there is no guarantee that the next U.S. president Donald Trump will not override them.
On Thursday, Obama also said in a statement that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is ending the Cuban Medical Professional Parole Program, a policy seen as aiming at luring skilled Cuban health professionals to the United States.
"It was a law that was detrimental to Cuba's health resources, which are a valuable resource," 43-year-old doctor Angel Trimino said.
