LAREDO: For a long time, Cubans who are able to make it out of their country have been able to qualify for special protections in the United States.
But now it looks like the number of Cubans making that attempt is on the rise with some ending up in Laredo.
People who work with Cubans who say they’re seeing more Cubans, who end up in Laredo.
Often they come with questions, and don’t know what to do, as they slowly start their new lives in Laredo.
At his neighbors house along Houston Avenue Armando Herrera, a Cuban immigrant, works on his neighbor’s car.
He does that while he waits for a permit to work legally.
He got to the U.S. four months ago, nearly as long as his roommate, Lazaro Correso.
64-year-old Correso says he left his country because he couldn’t make ends meet.
“It’s just sad when you wake up in the morning and not have anything to eat. It’s sad when you wake up and your kids are asking you if there’s anything to eat”, said Correso.
A few months back he was working in a factory and his friend told him you can stay or you can go.
He told Correso President Obama had opened the border and it wasn’t going to be open for long.
“Because if you don’t go now and they close the border. I said okay. And I took off to the United States”, said Correso.
Alejandro Ruiz opened Cubanos in Libertad last year to help exiles.
“The first words we say, welcome to freedom”, said Ruiz.
He’s a cuban exile himself, of 24 years.
He says his countryman often ask where they can get help when they get here.
“We talk with them. They explain, ‘I need to talk with my family. I don’t know where to go.’ we give you a phone. They can use our phone”, said Ruiz.
Once a Cuban immigrant steps foot in the United States and is granted asylum they become eligible for medicaid, a housing stipend and food stamps.
That’s according to catholic social services an organization that helps immigrants.
Data from customs and border protection shows the number of Cubans arriving to the U.S. Through Mexico is rising by as much as 50 percent over what it was last year.
Ruiz says last year he’d see 20 immigrants a day now it’s higher.
“On average, 80 people every day”, said Ruiz.
Correso says more people are thinking of coming here.
“The people there, as much as they try to work, the money just isn’t enough”, said Correso.
As long as he’s here, he’ll make the best of it.
“Here, I will work. Because that’s all I have left”, said Correso.
From 2013 to 2014 we saw a 26 percent rise along the southern U.S. border of Cubans coming in.
The data for this year only shows the first quarter of 2015, but shows an even bigger rise.
If multiply that number for the first quarter of 2015 to cover the full year it shows a nearly 50 percent increase over last year.
That would be a total number of 26,000 Cubans coming to the southern border for asylum this year.
Volunteers say some of those Cubans are staying in Laredo after they get here.
Others are leaving for support groups in Miami, San Antonio and Houston.
