Cubans Say U.S. To Change Policy

The United States told Cuban officials it was considering ending decades of preference for Cubans who land on U.S shores illegally a policy that would send most new arrivals back to Cuba, a top Cuban official said Thursday.

U.S. officials could not immediately be reached for comment on the claim by Cuban legislative speaker Ricardo Alarcon, who led a Cuban delegation talking with U.S. officials here on earlier immigration agreements.

Members of the U.S. delegation said nothing about such a proposal when they talked to reporters earlier in the day. Frank Hamilton, the assistant deputy secretary of state who led the U.S. delegation, said the talks were “full, comprehensive and frank” but dealt with only “technical” details.