http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/l ... er13m.html

Cuban soccer player hopes to defect to U.S.

By Jennifer Sullivan
Seattle Times staff reporter

A Cuban national soccer team player who apparently wants to defect to the United States met with immigration officials in Seattle on Monday.

"Based upon information provided, he might be willing to change his immigration status in the U.S.," said Mike Milne, a spokesman for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The man will likely meet with an immigration judge in the coming days, Milne said. He can either meet with a judge locally or petition to have the case moved to a court outside of Seattle.

The Cuban team traveled to Seattle to play Gold Cup games Thursday and Saturday. Cuba lost 4-1 to the U.S. team Thursday and 3-1 to Costa Rica on Saturday. Both games were played at Qwest Field.

Linda Thielke, a King County Metro spokeswoman, said a player got on a bus in North Seattle on Saturday evening. She said the driver, despite a language barrier, realized it was an immigration issue and contacted Seattle police.

Milne said immigration requests commonly are accepted from Cubans who make known their desire to defect while on U.S. soil.

For more than 40 years, Cuban refugees have routinely been given asylum in the United States.