Ten Reasons to Oppose the Cuba Travel Ban

1. U.S. citizens have a constitutional right to travel
The outdated, counterproductive U.S. embargo against Cuba should not be used by the government as an excuse to violate our rights. We believe that communication and dialogue across borders is a positive, non-violent way of resolving differences among nations. If the U.S. and Cuban governments do not talk to each other, then we -- the citizens -- must lead the way.

2. The travel ban violates our right to travel
In 1958, the Supreme Court ruled that we do indeed have the right to travel under the Fifth Amendment. Civil liberties groups also argue that travel is a First Amendment right because, to fully exercise our right of free speech, especially regarding foreign policy, we must have the right to travel and form firsthand opinions. Yet in 1984, the Supreme Court ruled by a narrow 5-4 decision that the President did have the right to curtail the right to travel for national security reasons. We believe this is an unjust interpretation of the Constitution.

3. Congress has voted repeatedly to ease restrictions on travel and trade.
In 2000, Congress passed legislation permitting agricultural sales to Cuba. In 2003, the Senate voted to stop enforcing the ban on travel to Cuba; the House of Representatives has voted four times since 2000 to stop enforcing the ban. Majorities in the Congress are clearly in favor of changing our policy.

4. The travel ban is outdated
The travel restrictions were first imposed in 1961, lifted under the Carter administration in 1977, and then re-imposed under President Reagan in 1982. President Clinton further tightened them in 1994, "relaxed" them in 1995, and tightened them again following the passage of the Helms-Burton legislation in 1996. Clinton relaxed them again in early 1999, claiming a desire on the Administration's part to build "people to people" ties between the U.S. and Cuba. The Bush administration continues to tighten restrictions according to political whim, based on an outdated and ineffective foreign policy.

5. Cuba is not a national security threat
In regards to the Supreme Court’s ruling in 1984 about restricting travel for national security reasons, the world has changed tremendously since 1984. At that time, the U.S. accused Cuba of being an ally of the U.S.S.R. and supporting armed revolution in Central America and Africa. Now the Soviet Union no longer exists and there is no Cuban involvement in armed struggle in Central American or Africa. It would be ludicrous to say that Cuba, a tiny island of under 11 million people undergoing a severe economic crisis is in any way a threat to the United States. The only foreign military base in Cuba is the U.S. base at Guantanamo! According to a Center for Defense Information study, Cuba spends in a year on its military what the U.S. spends in 12 hours.

6. The U.S. is alone in its Cuba travel ban
Hundreds of thousands of Canadians, Latin Americans and Europeans travel to Cuba every year in just as normal a fashion as U.S. citizens vacation in the Bahamas. Cuba now has cordial diplomatic relations with almost every country in the world. The U.S. embargo against Cuba has been overwhelmingly condemned by the United Nations General Assembly year after year. The only other country to vote with the U.S. was Israel, which currently operates the largest citrus plantation in the world in Cuba -- a clear example of the contradictions between Israel’s political and economic policy.

7. The U.S. does not ban travel to any other communist or so-called ‘enemy’ nations
We can travel freely to the world's largest communist country -- China. Restrictions on travel to Vietnam have been lifted, and we can even go to the Middle East. Perhaps most ironic is the fact that, in the past, we were not allowed to travel to Cuba because, as a Soviet ally, it was considered a national security threat. Yet even at the height of the Cold War, we were always allowed to travel to the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe!

8. The travel ban is ineffective
As Republican Senator Mike Enzi of Wyoming has eloquently stated, “Why are we supporting a policy that has had little effect on the government we oppose? Why don’t we improve our policy so that it will improve conditions for the Cuban people and their image of the United States?”

9. Enforcing the travel ban wastes money
The US Treasury Department currently spends tax-payer dollars to prosecute tourists to Cuba instead of using the money for education, health care, social services, or the war on terrorism.

10. Travel is the first step in improving US-Cuba relations
Travel restrictions prevent exchange and understanding with our Cuban neighbors. Increased contact between US and Cuban citizens would help dispel stereotypes and promote mutual understanding, trade and cooperation.