Miami leaders criticize security tour provided to Cuban officials at the airport

Miami-Dade County issued a rebuke and demanded an apology from the Biden administration after the State Department permitted Cuban government officials to tour Transportation Security Administration (TSA) facilities at Miami International Airport (MIA), Axios reported on Tuesday.

“As a Cuban American and native Miamian, I’m appalled that this took place,” MIA director Ralph Cutié said at Tuesday’s commission meeting.

Cutié stated that he and Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava were not informed by federal agencies about the State Department tour, which allowed Cuban officials access to secure areas at MIA for five hours.

Levine Cava, a Democrat, reached out to the Department of Homeland Security to seek answers and request county involvement in any future decisions regarding granting access to MIA facilities to foreign government officials, according to Axios.

During the meeting, Cutié mentioned that a group of five Cuban officials from the transportation department were given access to inspect a TSA checkpoint and baggage-screening area at the airport.

The County Commission unanimously voted to condemn the TSA for the tour and President Joe Biden for removing Cuba from the list of countries the U.S. deems as “not cooperating fully” in anti-terrorism efforts.

Despite Cuba being considered a state sponsor of terrorism, Biden’s decision was viewed as an effort to improve relations with the Communist nation.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, both Republicans, criticized the Biden administration for allowing the tour to happen.

Rubio stated, “Only under the Biden administration would they allow a terrorist regime into our secure facilities at one of the busiest airports in America.”

Gimenez, a former mayor of Miami-Dade County, called it a “slap in the face” to the Cuban exile community, noting that Miami is home to the largest Cuban diaspora in the U.S.

Cuban-American members of the County Commission suggested that the timing of the tour on Cuba’s Independence Day was deliberate, with Commissioner Kevin Marino Cabrera accusing Havana of manipulating both the TSA administration and the State Department.

Commissioner Raquel Regalado added, “The fact that they did it on the day that they did it just proves that it was done to be hurtful and to make a point and to try to hurt the Cuban community.”