panama city hundreds cubans sell home belong pursuit american dream lay tatters strand central america mexico friday washington abruptly end lenient immigration policy u.s. president barack obama thursday repeal measure grant automatic residency virtually every cuban arrive unite state whether visa end longstanding exception u.s. policy end wet foot dry foot policy allow cuban reach u.s. soil stay return pick sea take effect immediately cuban officials long seek change argue would discourage people-trafficking dangerous journey jose enrique manreza sell house possessions havana embark epic trip plane bus foot rain forest french guiana colombia panama estimate spend 10,000 journey imagine feel spend six days six nights run rivers jungles humidity say manreza migrant shelter southern mexican city tapachula hear news along 30 cubans honduras 75 cubans wait move mexico u.s. border panama another 75 gather tree-shaded patio caritas shelter capital many sell everything own pay voyage lifetime say hundreds still traverse treacherous forest darien region border colombia express dismay obama popular cuba punch hole u.s. economic embargo reinstate diplomatic relations take measure saw hurt ordinary cubans obama decision kill dream say yancys riccart 25 teach assistant say journey take guyana brazil ecuador colombia say worry would mistreat give work cuban authorities go back home victor berrios deacon roman catholic charity caritas urge migrants rush hand people-traffickers reach unite state remind u.s. president-elect donald trump could reinstate law assume presidency jan 20 patient know 20th another government lose hope faith berrios say washington unveil flurry last minute agreements try prevent trump reverse 2014 detente cuba one obama flagship policies trump say would scrap obama cuba policy unless cubans present good deal immediately clear would try bring back wet-foot dry-foot anticipate end policy cuban immigration surge since 2014 normalization ben rhodes obama deputy national security adviser say 40,000 cubans arrive unite state 2015 54,000 2016. thousands cubans gather costa rica panama last year central american countries struggle cope influx el salvador welcome new policy say immigrants treat equally honduras source thousands immigrants unite state year despite cuban-style special treatment say wait see policy lead few cubans travel mexico foreign ministry immediate comment manreza say wife nurse work venezuela part cuban oil-for-doctors program obama also roll back medical parole program date back 2006 allow cuban doctor work third countries move unite state simply walk u.s. embassy cry call say without indicate whether intend defect program manreza run soda warehouse havana leave december daughter say decide whether return cuba break seek asylum mexico ivan diaz 45 health administrator say intention turn back leave cuba three months ago wife say dash unite state cost 25,000 wife miami family members send money support get 10 leave pocket say diaz tapachula center go carry lose anything go laredo border must able something otherwise let deport back cuba cubans sell everything reach u.s. hundreds strand