Salazar and Colleagues Demand Explanation for Cuban Government Officials Touring Sensitive TSA Facilities at Miami International Airport

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Reps. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL), Carlos A. Giménez (R-FL), Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL), and Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rick Scott (R-FL) sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas demanding an explanation for why agents from the Cuban regime were allowed to tour sensitive Transportation Security Administration (TSA) facilities at Miami International Airport.

Given the fact that the Cuban regime is on the State Sponsors of Terrorism list, it makes no sense for officials from a hostile government to be touring sensitive areas in our nation’s antiterrorism facilities. The State Department is using this as a pretext for removing Cuba from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list just days after removing the regime from a separate list of governments that are considered uncooperative with U.S. counterterrorism efforts.

“Allowing Cuban officials to visit our antiterrorism facilities is an outrageous risk to our national security,” said Rep. Salazar. “This is clearly yet another pretext to have Cuba removed from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list.”

The State Department is in charge of all official foreign government visits and therefore will have approved and organized this visit. The Cuban regime has been allowed to visit U.S. military and national security facilities in the past. In January 2023, Congresswoman Salazar sent another letter to DHS Secretary Mayorkas demanding an explanation for a separate visit by Cuban officials to the U.S. Coast Guard facilities.

To read the full text of the letter, click here.

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