The announcement just hit Huffington Post.
Living in Miami, this is BIG news.
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama directed his administration Monday to allow unlimited travel and money transfers by Cuban Americans to family in Cuba, and to take other steps to ease U.S. restrictions on the island, a senior administration official told The Associated Press.
The formal announcement was being made at the White House Monday afternoon, during presidential spokesman Robert Gibbs' daily briefing with reporters. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement had not yet been made.
UPDATE: Call for action in baudelairien's comment. Today family, tomorrow the world!
"There are no better ambassadors for freedom than Cuban Americans," Obama said in a campaign speech last May in Miami, the heart of the U.S. Cuban-American community. "It's time to let Cuban Americans see their mothers and fathers, their sisters and brothers. It's time to let Cuban American money make their families less dependent upon the Castro regime."
I was in the room to hear those quotes. It was a very refreshing, intelligent approach that promised a new day rising for the beautiful island directly to our South. Here's hoping that I can vacation there soon.
I don't know the full effect of this, and I apologize for the short diary, but I know one thing.
The City of Miami will be celebrating tonight. Cuba Libre!
(Cross posted at Full Body Transplant, with pretty pictures.)