In the midst of the largest Cuban migration to South Florida in a decade, the U.S. embassy in Cuba is renewing its visa and consular services.
The embassy is set to start processing immigrant visas as the U.S. looks to aid in the reunion of families that were broken up in their quest to leave the communist-run island country.
The announcement comes on the heels of at least two dozen Cuban migrants being rescued from small boats by commercial cruise liners. The past weekend alone saw more than 300 migrants from Cuba touching down on the continental United States.
According to NPR, the embassy will process 20,000 visa applications, which would provide many more people with a legal and safe route to enter. In November, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol encountered Cuban migrants 34,675 times along the Mexican border, which was a 21 percent jump from October when 28,848 migrants were stopped by officials.
Efforts by the U.S. to quell migrant tensions with Cuba have been ongoing and officials have conducted several talks in recent months surrounding migration with Havana.
"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 in Cuba said in a statement.
Authorities searched near two South Carolina lakes on Monday for a military jet that apparently crashed after the pilot safely ejected over the weekend.
Authorities searched Monday for a former NFL player after his 73-year-old mother's body was found near a creek behind her suburban Chicago home.
After serving an in-school suspension over his hairstyle, a Black high school student in Texas immediately received the same punishment when he arrived at school Monday wearing his hair as before in twisted dreadlocks tied on top of his head, his mother said.
Dramatic video showed first responders rescuing a man from his vehicle during major flooding.
Russell Brand is denying a series of sexual assault allegations by several women.
Two people are facing multiple charges including murder after a one-year-old boy died at a daycare in the Bronx, NY.
The United Nations is releasing an updated death toll in the Libya flooding disaster.
Two pilots were killed following a crash at an air show in Reno, Nevada.
Hurricane Nigel has formed in the Atlantic and is expected to intensify in the next 24 hours. Meanwhile, Lee brought rough surf along the U.S.-Canada border but the storm is expected to dissipate by Tuesday.
Cheddar News checks in with a coast-to-coast forecast of the weather for Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, including the latest on Hurricane Lee.
