During a visit to Miami International Airport, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem indirectly referenced Cuba and the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program, in a context shaped by the tightening of immigration rhetoric under the Trump administration.
The official participated in a press conference mainly focused on air safety and the technological modernization of airports, but was questioned by a journalist from Telemundo 51 about Cuba, following President Trump recently designating the island as a “national threat”.
In response to a direct question about whether the Government is preparing new protocols or messages towards the Cuban regime, Noem avoided announcing specific measures and limited herself to stating that the Department of Homeland Security is working in coordination with the Department of State on any potential changes in the bilateral relationship and travel between the two countries.
"The way that relationship will function and how the journey between the two countries will look is something that will be assessed in the future," he stated, without providing additional details.
In the same press exchange, the secretary was asked about the future of TPS, a program that temporarily protects citizens from countries affected by humanitarian crises from deportation. Although the question was not directly related to Cuba, her statements sent a clear message to migrant communities, including the Cuban community.
Noem insisted that the TPS "has always been conceived as a temporary measure" and argued that under Joe Biden's administration, the program was used incorrectly. She explained that during Trump's administration, the aim is to restore the exceptional nature of the benefit and limit its prolonged use.
The official stated that people whose countries lose the TPS designation will have a period to appeal or explore other legal avenues, but made it clear that there will be no automatic extensions. "If they do not qualify to stay legally, they must return to their countries of origin," she affirmed.
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