The Cuban-American immigration lawyer Willy Allen warned that the political climate generated by the Trump Administration could be fostering a return to McCarthyism, with a persecution that particularly affects the Cuban community in Miami.
"Right now, there is to some extent a witch hunt in Miami concerning Cubans who may or may not have been in the government and who may or may not have family members who were in the Cuban government," Allen stated in an interview with Tania Costa to discuss the current immigration landscape.
The lawyer clarified that he does not oppose the deportations of those who arrived in the United States as members of the Cuban regime and lied about it. "Personally, I agree that anyone who has come to the United States, who was a member of the Cuban government and has lied, should be deported. They come here now to live off what we have built, after what they destroyed in Cuba," he stated.
However, Allen drew a clear line between that legitimate action and the generalization that, in his opinion, is taking place. "But you can't have a wave where everyone who disagrees with you at the moment is someone miserable," he warned.
The parallel with historical McCarthyism was clear. Allen recalled that Joseph McCarthy, a senator from Wisconsin, unleashed a campaign in the 1950s that ruined the careers of actors, writers, and ordinary people who were unfoundedly accused of being communists. "We've seen movies about that, we haven't lived it, but we've seen the movies," noted Tania Costa.
For Allen, President Trump's rhetoric embodies that spirit. "You can't start saying that the president of a country claims he is going to eliminate a free press... that he is going to vote and get rid of communists who don't actually exist," he stated. The lawyer emphasized that by publicly identifying his opponents as enemies, Trump is fostering a dangerous atmosphere. "He is creating enemies. And when a president does that, he is identifying who his enemies are."
His conclusion was straightforward: “I believe that if McCarthyism can return, it would be in the environment that this government is creating of hatred and disdain.”
This context is framed within a migration policy that Allen described as openly hostile. According to data cited by the lawyer in recent sessions on the migration landscape, the Trump administration is denying 94% of asylum claims, has revoked 250,000 visas, and has reduced the number of naturalizations by 75%.
"When you see that it is a government that has reduced the number of naturalizations by 75%, that is denying 94% of asylum claims, that has revoked 250,000 visas, you realize the stance of a government that is completely anti-immigrant," he stated.
In parallel, in 2026, there have been arrests and deportations of Cubans in Miami accused of hiding links to the repressive or intelligence apparatus of the dictatorship when applying for immigration status in the United States. According to Allen, these legitimate actions against actual oppressors coexist with a generalization that can harm innocent Cubans whose only "offense" is not sharing the dominant political line.
The lawyer mentioned Congressman Joe García as someone with "very strong ideas" about the witch hunt in Miami and suggested that he would be a valuable interlocutor to delve deeper into the topic, indicating that the debate is far from over within the Cuban-American community itself.
The U.S. Senate censured Joseph McCarthy on December 2, 1954, formally ending his campaign. The term "McCarthyism" has since become synonymous with political persecution based on unsubstantiated accusations and guilt by association.
El caso de los cubanos en Miami es solo una parte del complejo panorama migratorio actual. Sigue todos los desarrollos en nuestra sección de
Filed under: