Marco Rubio, the Miami-born politician and Secretary of State for Donald Trump’s administration, has found himself distancing from the core issues that once endeared him to the Venezuelan and Cuban communities in Miami, as well as other supporters of immigration relief measures.
Having been raised in Miami by a family of exiles from the Cuban Revolution, Rubio was known for championing Temporary Protected Status (TPS) programs, which protect about 600,000 Venezuelan immigrants from deportation. His commitment to advocating against the authoritarian regimes in Venezuela and Cuba solidified his popularity among these diasporas.
However, as he navigates his new role as Secretary of State, Rubio’s stance has taken a controversial shift. He now supports the termination of TPS for Venezuelans and has shown a propensity to cut international aid to Latin American nations under dictatorial governance.
This departure from his previous positions has not gone unnoticed. Local Republican politicians are voicing their concerns, and many in his own community feel abandoned by the man they once viewed as a reliable ally.
During a Senate hearing, Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat who had previously supported Rubio’s confirmation, expressed his dismay at Rubio’s transformation. “We didn’t always agree, but I believe we shared some common values — a belief in defending democracy and human rights abroad and honoring the Constitution at home. That’s why I voted to confirm you. I believed you would stand up for those principles. You haven’t. You’ve done the opposite,” Van Hollen stated during the session.
Public sentiment against Rubio has intensified as critics have taken to social media to convey their frustrations. One comment on CBS’s Instagram regarding the Senate hearing encapsulated the sentiment: “He would send his own parents back to Cuba; he sold his soul to Trump.”
In an attempt to mitigate backlash, Rubio suggested that those with TPS could navigate the asylum process, proclaiming, “People who have TPS will apply through the asylum processes. And I believe many of them, if not most of them, will have very credible asylum claims.” This assertion comes amidst rising deportation rates and plunging asylum approval rates, casting doubt on the feasibility of his comments.
Editorial responses from local news outlets like the Miami Herald and public radio WLRN have made it clear that many see Rubio’s actions as a betrayal. The Miami Herald’s editorial stated, “Rubio used Venezuelans in his hometown for political gain. Now, he’s betrayed them,” urging him to leverage his influential position to assist Venezuelans facing the threat of deportation. Meanwhile, WLRN’s Tim Padgett underscored that immigrant communities now perceive Rubio as having turned his back on them, prioritizing deportations over the defense of democracy.
The growing frustration has prompted action on the ground, with major highways in Miami seeing billboards denouncing Rubio and other Republican senators who have aligned with Trump’s immigration policies. One such billboard, paid for by a group named Keep Them Honest, boldly claimed, “Little Marco sold out all Venezuelans. He told Trump to end TPS. He’s a traitor to all those fleeing dictatorships,” recalling the nickname Trump used for Rubio during their heated 2016 primary battle.
In contrast to his past criticisms of Trump — when he labeled him a danger to U.S. democracy and traditional Republican values — Rubio has since reconciled with the former president, leading to the controversial decisions that have alienated many of his supporters.
As he continues to serve as Secretary of State, Marco Rubio’s evolution from a revered local figure to a contentious political player raises questions about his priorities and the future support he might receive from the communities that once viewed him as their champion.
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