JOHN Hansen
Level 2 Member
When I lived in Florida I made 22 (supposedly) illegal trips to Cuba, and was caught 3 times on the return, each time by US immigration at Nassau. Never had a problem coming back via Costa Rica, Jamaica, Canada, Mexico or Venezuela.
The first 2 times I was let off with a warning: "You can get 5 years in jail and/or a $500,000 fine."
The 3rd time I was told I would be receiving a letter from the Treasury Dept.
I contacted the ACLU and was told to forward the letter to them when received. They told me that the US gov't cannot charge American residents with the crime of being a tourist in another country.
However no such letter ever came, so I continued traveling there many more times, but avoided the Nassau route. I met many many other Americans there doing the same thing, and none had been bothered.
When you think about it, it only seems right that Americans should have the same right to travel freely as citizens of other countries have.
The first 2 times I was let off with a warning: "You can get 5 years in jail and/or a $500,000 fine."
The 3rd time I was told I would be receiving a letter from the Treasury Dept.
I contacted the ACLU and was told to forward the letter to them when received. They told me that the US gov't cannot charge American residents with the crime of being a tourist in another country.
However no such letter ever came, so I continued traveling there many more times, but avoided the Nassau route. I met many many other Americans there doing the same thing, and none had been bothered.
When you think about it, it only seems right that Americans should have the same right to travel freely as citizens of other countries have.