Rep. Salazar Urges DHS Sec Mayorkas To Rescind Order To Deport Cuban Asylum-Seekers

On Wednesday, Republican Representative Maria Salazar (FL) sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas urging him to rescind his order to deport 46 Cuban asylum-seekers whose personal information was leaked by the Biden administration, making those individuals targets of the dictatorship leading Cuba.

“It was recently reported that officials at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) compromised the personal information of at least 46 Cuban nationals who were scheduled to be deported to Cuba,” the letter said. “Specifically, a DHS official revealed that these 46 ICE detainees were among the 6,252 asylum seekers whose personal data was leaked by the Department in November. The Cuban regime has now put a target on their back.”

“This leak is life-threatening and unacceptable,” it continued. “The publication of the personal information of more than 6,252 at-risk, vulnerable, asylum-seeking individuals could have a disastrous effect on their lives. As you are aware, federal law prohibits the publication of the personal information of asylum-seekers. Please take the necessary steps to make sure this never happens again. The United States cannot continue to be a beacon of freedom if we put those fleeing persecution and violence at risk for seeking refuge here…”

“You must protect these individuals at all costs,” the letter concluded. “As a result of this leak, the safety of these 46 asylum seekers simply cannot be assured. Verbal assurances from the Cuban regime cannot be trusted and there is no way to accurately verify their well-being in Cuba. Considering the actions by the United States government that now puts these individuals at risk, I respectfully request that the Department of Homeland Security undertake the necessary steps to protect these individuals and reassess their asylum petitions.”

The Biden administration’s decision to deport asylum-seekers fleeing a violent totalitarian regime comes as the Biden administration plans to let “multiple busloads” of illegal immigrants free in Tennessee.