. >> reporter: every day, cubans mexico into laredo, texas. since 1966, the cuban adjustment act has guaranteed asylum from refugee of to refugees fleeing the communist regime. they qualify for a green card after a year and a day, and citizenship five years later. but now they're afraid the thawing the diplomatic relations will end that special protection. jessenia acuna says, "how was i supposed to get here if they changed the law? it would have been impossible." most cuban refugees no longer try to reach miami on makeshift rafts in the florida straits. capture and the currents are both risky. they now fly to a latin american country like ecuador then spend months making a trip through land and a half dozen other countries before reaching the texas border. 51,000 arrived here last year, 68% of them through laredo. >> it's a whole transnational human smuggling operation. studies cuban migration patterns at florida international university. well organized? >> very well organized and it's supposed to be the second most profitable illegal network