The renowned Cuban actor and comedian Alexis Valdés took to his Instagram account to strongly defend the rights of migrants, amid an increasingly hostile climate towards those crossing borders in search of a better life.
His reflection touches on a sensitive and profoundly human point: "No human being should be considered illegal", he said, among other ideas, in the video posted on the social network.
"Can a human being be considered #illegal? Could it be a conceptual error from the very beginning? A behavior may be deemed outside the law, but a person… Who comes first? The human being or the law? Let us ponder that."
Also, he added that "laws should be at the service of human beings. Not human beings at the service of the laws."
With these words, Valdés questions the narrative that dehumanizes those who migrate without documents, something that has gained strength again with the rhetoric of the current U.S. president Donald Trump, whose administration has reiterated that “all illegal immigrants are criminals” and has intensified the policy of mass deportations since his return to the White House.
A message that resonates with other Cuban voices
Valdés's words resonate in spirit with those recently expressed by actress and host Aly Sánchez, who also shared a message to the Cuban community in the United States.
Moved by the story of a new follower who had just crossed the border, she called for the restoration of empathy, rejecting betrayals among compatriots and demanding a true commitment from the politicians who claim to represent Cubans.
In an emotional video shared on social media, Sánchez expressed sorrow over how disunity, insensitivity, and political opportunism have tainted relationships among Cubans in exile, often pitting those from the "before" against those from the "after," as if the pains of migration have an expiration date.
Marco Rubio and the official narrative
Meanwhile, from Washington, Marco Rubio, the current Secretary of State of the U.S., described the idea of accepting all migrants into the country as "absurd."
The Cuban-American politician emphasized that it is necessary to establish selective admission criteria, putting principles such as family reunification, historically one of the cornerstones of immigration policy towards Cuba, in the background.
This context positions the voices of Valdés and Sánchez as calls to collective consciousness, at a time when Cubans—both on the island and abroad—are facing an unprecedented migration crisis, characterized by a constant exodus, the criminalization of migrants, and the political exploitation of the issue by both ideological extremes.
A struggle beyond ideologies
Valdés' message is not new. It is part of a broader vision that calls for humanity over legalism, and demands a change in how migrants are perceived and treated, especially within a Cuban community fragmented by politics but united by the experience of uprooting.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Defense of Migrants' Rights by Alexis Valdés
What is Alexis Valdés's stance on the illegality of migrants?
Alexis Valdés defends that no human being should be considered illegal. In his statements, Valdés argues that laws should serve people and not the other way around, challenging the narrative that criminalizes those who migrate without documents.
What has Alexis Valdés said about the treatment of migrants by the Trump administration?
Valdés criticizes the rhetoric of the Trump administration that views all illegal immigrants as criminals. This approach has intensified mass deportation policies and created a hostile climate towards migrants in the United States.
How have other Cuban voices reacted to the current immigration situation?
In addition to Alexis Valdés, figures like Aly Sánchez have launched messages calling for empathy and unity within the Cuban community. Sánchez, for example, has lamented the loss of empathy and criticized the political opportunism that divides Cubans in exile.
What do some Cuban-American political leaders think about migration?
Politicians like Marco Rubio have expressed the need to establish selective admission criteria. Rubio believes that accepting all migrants without a selection system is an absurd idea, sidelining principles such as family reunification.
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