Immigration attorney Willy Allen rejected the argument on Monday that the immigration crisis is the fault of the previous administration and criticized the political debate that divides the Cuban community in the United States over who is to blame for the mass deportations, in a interview granted to CiberCuba.
The context is the announcement by the "border czar" Tom Homan to add 7,000 new agents to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with another 3,000 in training, to expedite the mass deportations promised by Trump. Homan stated on May 6 at the Border Security Expo in Phoenix: "Mass deportations are coming. This will be a good year."
In that context, Allen identified two narratives that, in his opinion, evade real responsibility. The first blames Biden for having "opened the border." The second, even supported by elected congress members, claims that Trump "doesn't know" what is happening.
"Biden never opened the border," Allen asserted emphatically, dismantling the first argument.
Regarding the second one, he was equally straightforward: "Does Trump really not know? He doesn't know this. He doesn't know about the massive deportations that are coming."
The question, posed with irony, pointed to the implausibility of exonerating the president who orders the operations.
For Allen, both stances are part of the same issue: "Instead of focusing on who is responsible, what we have is this game, a game of words."
The lawyer noted that there is a segment of the community that supports the president's actions and believes that "it must be done," while others, including friends of detained individuals, continue to attribute the situation to Biden's administration.
This polarization, he warned, prevents a clear analysis of the facts.
One of those facts is that 75% of those detained by ICE have no criminal record, according to data cited by Allen during the interview, contradicting the official narrative that deportations target only criminals.
Florida has become the epicenter of arrests: it is the only state where all 67 counties have active agreements with ICE, following the governor's commitment to involve all local and state police. Allen admitted he did not expect that level of cooperation.
Despite the outlook, the lawyer expressed two sources of hope. The first is the federal courts, which in recent weeks have granted significant victories in I-220A residence cases, including the release of detained individuals and the opening of pathways to legalization.
The second is the result of the November elections. But Allen was clear about the limits of that hope: "A November election does not eliminate part of what they are doing now."
What could change, he explained, is the control of resources: "With a November election, when the Democrats have the House and possibly the Senate, they can indeed limit the funds that can be used. And they can conduct investigations into how they are acting."
The institutional distinction made by Allen summarizes the situation: "The Executive controls immigration and dictates actions. However, the House of Representatives and the Senate can control the funding and determine how it is carried out."
"I have hope: one, that the Federal Courts enforce the law; two, that a November election brings about a substantial change that helps," concluded Allen.
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