The US government's policy towards Haitian refugees is to treat them as economic refugees. The US government's policy towards Cuban refugees is to treat them as political refugees.
Explanation:
Haitian refugees:
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with a per capita income of about $100 per year. The U.S. government classifies Haitians as "economic" and not "political" refugees. This makes it easier to deport them. The US government has also traditionally been supportive of repressive regimes in Haiti, like Duvalier and his son who were longterm leaders like a family dynasty in Haiti. Another figure of Haitian politics who has sometimes been in favor of the US government, and at times in disfavor is Jean-Bertrand Aristide. It is alleged that the USA orchestrated two coup attempts again Aristide in 1991 and then his forced exile in 2004. The USA plays a more active role in Haitian politics and who assumes power than it does in Cuba. In 2015, there were reportedly 676,000 Haitian migrants in the United States.
Cuban refugees:
In contrast, Cuban refugees are considered political refugees and the US government does not support the Castro regime nor his brother who was also the President of Cuba after Fidel's death (the President is now Miguel Díaz-Canel). There is also a substantial and powerful Cuban-American population, especially in the state of Florida. The majority of the 1,172,899 current Cuban exiles living in the United States live in Florida. They can influence politics in the state and also at the federal level because of their power as a community. Most Cuban-Americans are anti-Castro and thus they support the embargo against Cuba.
