Maria De La Torre of Miami regularly goes to Cuba to visit the stepchildren she raised, as well as their children.

Despite the Bush administration's crackdown on such trips, "I will try to go [to Cuba] however I can," she vowed. "I will swim if I have to."

She is not alone in her outrage.

Several Cuban-Americans say they plan to look for ways around the new regulations, which require them to obtain a license to travel to Cuba and restrict them to one visit every three years. The rules, which go into effect Wednesday, also whittle down the list of relatives they can visit or send money to.

In addition, they can no longer send clothes and soap, among other personal items, to loved ones on the island.

That upsets Nervy and Raul Diaz, of northwest Miami-Dade County, who often send underwear, socks and soap to their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren on the island.

"We're suffering because of this," Nervy Diaz said. "They don't have anything over there."

The New York-based U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, which monitors business between the two countries, estimates Cuban-Americans sent $400 million to $600 million to their families in Cuba last year.

John Kavulich, president of the organization, said while there might be an initial drop in remittances once the new rules take hold, they could increase later on. One possible scenario, he said, is that people who cannot make regular visits to Cuba will instead send their travel money to their families. Also, people will probably go through third parties to skirt the regulations, which are overseen by the Treasury Department.

"People will circumvent the rules because family ties generally trump regulations," Kavulich said.

That's what happened in the 1990s when the Clinton administration banned cash gifts and restricted travel. People got around that by going through the Bahamas or Mexico.

Although that could happen again, Kavulich said, "the Bush administration has coupled rhetoric with enforcement, where the Clinton administration didn't do that."

Treasury Secretary John W. Snow said Friday the goal of the new regulations is "bringing freedom to the oppressed people of Cuba as soon as possible.

"The real concern is ... seeing that monies of American travelers and students, visitors, aren't used to line the pockets of Castro and his regime," Snow said.

Dixie Tidwell, of Rowlett, Texas, learned a few years ago that the man she called her father had adopted her. Her biological father, who had died, was part Cuban.

Since then, she's been trying to get in touch with her Cuban roots.

Tidwell is determined to go to Cuba, and many Web sites give details on how to make unsanctioned trips, she said.

"I've always wanted to connect with my family there," she said. "How many cousins do I have that I don't know? How much of my heritage am I missing out on, all because of the policies in place?"

Miriam Levinson, who came to the United States in 1956, coordinates trips to Cuba through the Jewish Community Center in Chicago. The groups that go deliver wheelchairs, medicine and other aid.

Although Levinson disagrees with the new rules, she's not going to go around the law.

"Some people may look for other ways, [but] we would never do that. We couldn't," she said.

Even exiles who back strong measures against the Cuban government are balking at restricting family contact.

Ramón Saul Sanchez, a Miami activist, said he supports some initiatives, such as increased efforts to broadcast to the island through U.S. government-run TV Martí. But separating families is wrong, he said.

Sanchez believes people will find ways around the rules but because "it will be more difficult for people to do it ... prices and costs will increase. Instead of punishing the dictator, we might end up helping the Cuban dictator punish the people."

Madeline Baró Diaz can be reached at mbaro@sun-sentinel.com or 305-810-5007.

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