HOUSTON (AP) — A group of 11 Cuban immigrants being detained in South Texas are fighting deportation after alleging they were wrongly turned away while trying to enter the United States just before a longstanding immigration policy was rescinded that had allowed any Cuban who made it to U.S. soil to stay and become a legal resident.

Jorge Rivera, an attorney for the immigrants, says his clients should be allowed to enter the country because they reached U.S. soil just before President Barack Obama announced the end to the policy on the afternoon of Jan. 12.

The Cuban immigrants are being held at two detention centers in Laredo.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman Rick Pauza said he couldn't immediately comment Friday as he was still gathering information about the case.

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