Austin News

U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) have expressed significant concerns regarding the Biden-Harris Administration's decision to grant nonimmigrant visas (NIV) to Cuban nationals. In a letter addressed to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the senators raised national security issues linked to this policy.

The letter states, "Rather than compelling the Cuban dictatorship to end its human rights abuses and bring democracy to the island, the Biden-Harris Administration has only looked for opportunities to mollify the regime. We see no other reason for expanding NIVs to Cuban individuals and no justification for why doing so serves the interests of the United States."

The senators argue that this expansion will disproportionately benefit members of Cuba's elite ruling class, who are closely tied to the regime. They contend that these individuals are more likely to receive formal education and employment opportunities denied to most residents on the island. Additionally, they highlight concerns about inadequate vetting processes due to Cuba's lack of transparency.

"This NIV expansion will be skewed toward benefitting members of the elite, ruling class," they wrote. "It will be nearly impossible to provide proper vetting of potential NIV recipients given the regime’s lack of transparency and our inadequate insight into the island."

The letter also references previous actions by the administration that allegedly placate Cuba's government, including a parole program allowing former high-ranking officials from Cuba into the U.S., which was paused after reports of fraud and abuse.

Furthermore, they criticize lifting Cuba’s designation as a “not fully cooperating” country on counterterrorism efforts despite its status as a State Sponsor of Terrorism (SSOT). The senators claim these measures undermine national security by enabling Cuban officials access to secure facilities in U.S. airports and permitting Cuban businesses access to U.S. banking services.

In conclusion, Cruz, Rubio, and Scott request detailed responses from Secretary Blinken on how this policy serves American interests without benefiting members of Cuba’s regime or compromising security protocols.

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