FL GOP Rep Begs Kristi Noem To Spare Venezuelans

The Associated Press reports:

Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart’s Thursday to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem asks her not to deport Venezuelans without criminal records as ordered by Trump.

“I respectfully request, within all applicable rules and regulations, that you assess all options available to ensure that Venezuelan nationals without criminal records are not forcibly returned to one of the most repressive dictatorships in the world,” the Miami Republican wrote.

Trump has ordered the end of temporary protections for roughly 350,000 Venezuelans, leaving them vulnerable to deportation in 60 days when their current status expires. That would have deep impacts in Florida, which has the nation’s largest number of TPS beneficiaries.

Read the full article. Last week Florida GOP Rep. Maria Salazar issued a similar plea to DHS. In 2020, Diaz-Balart was the first member of Congress to test positive for COVID and he later went on to toe the cultist line on pandemic mitigation. In 2022, he shared with stage with authoritarian Viktor Orban during CPAC Hungary. Of note, Diaz-Balart’s aunt was Fidel Castro’s first wife.

DEVELOPING: Following the Trump administration’s decision to end Temporary Protected Status for over 300,000 Venezuelans, U.S. Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart urged Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday not to deport those without criminal records. https://t.co/NgVdNjGY1f

— Miami Herald (@MiamiHerald) February 6, 2025