 Cubans Sergio Suarez Martinez and Daniel Benitez gained access to the US in June 1980 via the Mariel Boatlift.By the time they had applied for legal permanent residence through the Cuban Refugee Adjustment Act; which allows Cubans who have been living in the US for a year to apply.Both men, however, had racked up significant criminal charges thus they could not qualify for the adjustment from refugee to legal permanent resident.