Cuba Travel
I believe in the power of travel, when done in an ethical manner, to help dissolve the chains of intolerance and prejudice; but travel to Cuba has been made difficult by the USA’s failed cold war sanctions policy.
Of course some of these sanctions were eased under President Obama, making it less difficult for ordinary people in the United States to see Cuba for themselves. I was fortunate enough to go myself to Cuba in 2016, independently and legally, an experience which changed my life and convinced me of why travel is essential to promote world peace.
President Trump has rolled back back some of the provisions of the Obama thaw (and President Biden has maintained the Trump rollbacks), but the good news is that despite these hurdles, US regulations (as of Jan. 2022) still provide many options for many US citizens and permanent residents to legally travel to Cuba.
Legal Services for people traveling to Cuba:
I am proud to provide up to thirty minutes of pro bono (free) legal time for any person in the US who is considering a trip to Cuba. In this session, we would discuss confidentially together your travel plans, so that you can make any needed changes to your plans to comply withe current US regulations for Cuba travel. I will give you guidelines on what records one should keep after a Cuba trip, to be prepared for any inquires/audits that travelers may receive in the future from OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control) of the US Department of the Treasury.
For more complicated situations (i.e. a situation that requires applying for a “specific” OFAC license, responding to a subpoena from OFAC after travel, contesting civil penalties by OFAC, business dealings with Cuban companies or other entities, etc.), I may be able to accept your case or I will recommend a referral to another attorney if appropriate.
If at possible, it is best to meet with me (likely via zoom) prior to your planned trip to Cuba, so please contact me early on in your travel planning process. Please contact me to schedule your time to meet.