Under U.S. law, individuals affiliated with Communist parties are deemed ineligible for entry into the country. However, under the Biden-Harris administration’s mass immigration program, reports suggest that individuals tied to the Cuban regime have entered the U.S. and are now residing in the country.
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), alongside colleagues, sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, calling for a review of the vetting procedures used for granting entry to such individuals and demanding the removal of any Cuban regime members currently residing in the U.S.
Read: Florida Sen. Rubio Intros Bill To Close Chinese Tariff Loophole Amid “Country Hopping” Tactics
“The United States must ensure that former Cuban regime members involved in oppressing innocent Cuban citizens or persecuting Cuban-Americans are not welcome in our country. Those found to have similar troubling backgrounds after arrival should also be promptly removed,” the letter stated. Rubio and his colleagues also urged the administration to increase transparency and accountability by publicly communicating the vetting procedures and standards used for these immigration decisions.
Joining Rubio in this effort were U.S. Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and U.S. Representatives Carlos Giménez (R-FL) and María Elvira Salazar (R-FL).
The letter specifically addressed concerns over the Biden administration’s decision to grant parole to Cuban Revolutionary Air Force Colonel Luis Raúl González-Pardo Rodríguez, who is linked to the February 24, 1996, shooting down of two humanitarian planes by Cuban MiG-29 fighter jets under orders from Raul Castro. The incident resulted in the deaths of four innocent Cuban-American pilots.
Read: Florida Sens Scott, Rubio Condemn UN Resolution Targeting Israel, Call for Focus On Terrorist Groups
The letter also highlighted the admission of Manuel Menendez Castellanos, a former high-ranking member of the Cuban Communist Party involved in oppressive acts against the Cuban people, as another example of poor vetting.
Rubio and his colleagues called on the administration to revise the procedures used by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State to ensure individuals connected to the Cuban regime are properly vetted and denied entry into the U.S.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Android Users: Download our free app to stay up-to-date on the latest news.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.