The Biden administration is facing immense pressure to act after pro-freedom demonstrators in Cuba have reportedly gone missing, following protests over the weekend against the country’s communist dictatorship. 

Cuban authorities have cut off social media and internet access across the nation, in an attempt to stop the spread of information from reaching the rest of the world. 

Biden Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas responded to the crisis by saying earlier this week that Cubans seeking entry into the U.S. via a maritime journey will not be allowed to enter the country. 

“The Coast Guard, along with our state, local, and federal partners are monitoring any activity that may indicate increases in unsafe and irregular maritime migration in the Florida straits, including unpermitted vessel departures from Florida to Cuba,” Mayorkas said on Wednesday. “The time is never right to attempt migration by sea. To those who risk their lives doing so, this risk is not worth taking. Allow me to be clear: if you take to the sea, you will not come to the United States.”

“If individuals make, establish a well-founded fear of persecution or torture, they are referred to third countries for resettlement,” Mayorkas said. “They will not enter the United States.”

Biden critics were quick to condemn the administration’s actions, pointing out the surge of illegal aliens that have entered the U.S. from the southern border, with record low levels of deporting illegals from the country. Many critics of the Biden administration have said that the Biden administration does not want to help Cubans fleeing the communist regime because the majority of Cuban Americans typically vote Republican. 

Alejandro’s remarks were met with condemnation from critics:

Donald Trump Jr. wrote, “DHS Secretary Mayorkas does not want legitimate asylum-seekers fleeing Cuba to come to the US despite his family having done just that. Apparently he only wants people pretending to need asylum because those people will still vote for socialist Democrats!”

DHS Secretary Mayorkas does not want legitimate asylum-seekers fleeing Cuba to come to the US despite his family having done just that.

Apparently he only wants people pretending to need asylum because those people will still vote for socialist Democrats! pic.twitter.com/kEWczqyG7R

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) July 14, 2021

Rep. Dan Bishop wrote, “Cross the southern border illegally & @SecMayorkas

won’t forcefully object. But attempt to flee Communism in the face of a real threat to your life & suddenly illegal immigration becomes his top concern. There's no good policy explanation for this, but there is a political one.”

Cross the southern border illegally & @SecMayorkas won’t forcefully object. But attempt to flee Communism in the face of a real threat to your life & suddenly illegal immigration becomes his top concern.

There's no good policy explanation for this, but there is a political one. https://t.co/BdUsyS2ZVi

— Rep. Dan Bishop (@RepDanBishop) July 14, 2021

Radio host Buck Sexton added, “Cubans fleeing oppression and murder by their own government right now are the definition of *legitimate asylum seekers* But Democrats all of a sudden are anti-asylum, because a lot of Cubans vote Republican.”

Cubans fleeing oppression and murder by their own government right now are the definition of *legitimate asylum seekers*

But Democrats all of a sudden are anti-asylum, because a lot of Cubans vote Republican https://t.co/wkxAUj8p1t

— Buck Sexton (@BuckSexton) July 14, 2021