President Donald Trump‘s travel ban on and restrictions on 19 countries includes Haiti, Cuba and Venezuela, which is going to impact this community more than most. It means that, as of Monday, the United States will suspend the issuance of most immigrant and non-immigrant visas for Cubans and Venezuelans, while fully banning entry from Haitians.
And local electeds are reacting with concern.
“Miami-Dade is home to the largest Haitian, Cuban and Venezuelan communities in the U.S., and I am deeply concerned by this decision which further divides us as Americans and harms hard-working families contributing to the essential fabric of the community,” Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.
“We learned from past travel bans that the end result is families being divided and loved ones unable to see each other. The work of our federal government should be to protect our borders and pass comprehensive immigration reform, not tear down our communities.”
Trump writes in the order that:

“Cuba is a state sponsor of terrorism. The Government of Cuba does not cooperate or share sufficient law enforcement information with the United States. Cuba has historically refused to accept back its removable nationals.’
Venezuela “lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures.”
Haiti, has a 31% visitor visa overstay rate and mass migration from Haiti creates “acute risks of increased overstay rates, establishment of criminal networks, and other national security threats.”

There are some exemptions, according to the New York Times, including athletes competing in the FIFA World Cup matches next year. But nada on fans. Ladra is pretty sure the FIFA is going to pull out of the U.S and schedule those matches in Canada and Mexico, which are already co-hosting the tournament.
“I am deeply disheartened,” said Hatian-born Miami-Dade Commissioner Marleine Bastien, whose District includes one of the largest Haitian communities in the country. “This is not only a cruel and xenophobic policy proposal – it is a blatant attempt to scapegoat an already suffering people. This unjust policy will sow chaos in our communities, separating families, and disrupting lives.
Read related: Campaign ramps up vs Miami’s Cuban, Republican congressional delegation
“The Haitian Community has long been a cornerstone of Miami-Dade County, contributing to its culture, economy, and strength. Targeting Haiti in this manner is not just only discriminatory, but a betrayal of the values America claims to uphold – compassion, justice, and opportunity for all,” Bastien said in a statement Thursday, citing the hypocrisy in the administration’s policy.
“If Haiti is truly ‘unsafe,’ as President Trump now claims, then why did his administration terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals and cancel the CHNV (Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan) parole program for Haiti? The contradictions in his statements highlight the lack of genuine concern for the Haitian people and reveal a disturbing pattern of punitive, anti-immigrant policies targeting Black and Brown communities.”
Bastien also said that the U.S. bears some of the responsibility for the situation in Haiti.
“Let us be clear: the current crisis in Haiti is not occurring in a vacuum. Haiti’s instability is the direct result of decades of international interference, including the actions of successive U.S. administrations that have undermined Haitian democracy, supported illegitimate regimes, and crippled the country’s capacity for self-determination. Our Haitian brothers and sisters are now facing the consequences of policies and interventions that were never designed with their wellbeing in mind.
“Instead of banning Haitians, the United States must take responsibility for its role in creating the crisis and act with compassion, justice, and accountability. That starts with reinstating TPS and the CHNV program for Haiti, supporting Haitian-led solutions to restore security and democracy, and rejecting fear-based rhetoric that seeks to dehumanize our community.”
In Doral, Venezuelans, many of whom supported Donald Trump, gathered at El Arapazo — the same place where Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Sen. Rick Scott sought votes in 2014 blasting the Venezuelan government — to express outrage. Some are fearful that their work permits will be revoked. Others are upset that their family members won’t be able to visit.
Adelys Ferro, executive director of the Venezuelan American Caucus, told the Miami Herald that the ban targeted nations that are already struggling and immigrants, and their families, that are not white.
Read related: Maria Elvira Salazar takes credit for judge extending TPS for Venezuelans
“They didn’t even try to hide the racism, discrimination, and xenophobia when drawing up this list,” she said. “The countries affected are all places devastated by war, dictatorship, famine and death.”
On Instagram, she posted an avatar waving and asking “Where are my MAGA friends?”
They’re either applauding, Ms. Ferro, or they simply don’t care.
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The post Miami-Dade leaders react to Donald Trump’s new ‘xenophobic’ travel ban appeared first on Political Cortadito.

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The Miami-Dade Commission on Tuesday will consider giving away a county-owned property at 100 NE 84th Street to Family Action Network Movement, Inc, — better known as FANM — a non-profit that was founded in 1991 by Commissioner Marleine Bastien, who watched it grow over two decades into a globally recognized model for providing life-enhancing services to low and moderate-income families.
Bastien, who was elected in 2022 to succeed former Commissioner Jean Monestime, resigned as executive director last December. That’s less than five months ago.
The giveaway requires a two-third vote and the resolution, sponsored by Commissioner Keon Hardemon, waives the requirement of four weeks advance written notice. The 10,800 square foot property, with an assessed value of $906,000 (market value is $1.1 million), would be declared surplus, sold at a “nominal” price — and FANM would also be forgiven any owed, past due rent from the lease of the property.
Their past due rent is $140,920, according to the resolution before the commission Tuesday.

“In light of the nature of the proposed use of the property for the benefit of providing vital community services, and substantial expenditures which will be made by FANM, to construct, expand, and improve the property, plus the continuing costs of maintenance, a substantially compelling reason exists to convey the property for nominal value rather than to lease it to FANM and to waive the prior obligations,” the resolution reads.

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Kase-who?

Miami-Dade Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to give the naming rights to the former American Airlines Arena — which, admit it, is what everybody still calls it even after it became the FTX Arena — to a local cybersecurity software company that almost nobody ever heard of before.

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All five new county commissioners were sworn in at separate ceremonies Tuesday after winning their elections Nov. 8 or in the August primary.

Miami-Dade Commissioner Anthony Rodriguez didn’t have to go to a runoff after getting 56% against three other candidates in the District 10 race to replace termed-out Javier Souto. The former state rep (Republican, District 118, Westchester) had State Rep. and future Speaker Daniel Perez (Republican, District 116, Kendall) swear him in.

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Marleine Bastien and Kevin Marino Cabrera won their respective races

The last two new Miami-Dade Commissioners to be elected Tuesday couldn’t be farther apart on the political spectrum.

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There is a lot of money going around in the Miami-Dade District 2 racethe clusterbunch race with six candidates. And it’s not all where you’d expect it to be.

Sure, North Miami Mayor Philippe Bien-Aime is raking it in with real estate investors and developers. He’s got almost $800,000 between his campaign account and his political action committee. But social worker extraordinaire Marleine Bastien, founder and director of the nonprofit Family Action Network Movement, has the healthiest campaign account, without loaning herself a dime and without the bundling that is more evident in the other candidates’ records.

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