logo
Cuban-American Rep. Díaz-Balart fought for refugees in the U.S. Who champions them now?

Cuban-American Rep. Díaz-Balart fought for refugees in the U.S. Who champions them now?

Miami Herald03-03-2025

Former Miami Republican U.S. Rep. Lincoln Díaz-Balart, who died Monday at 70 after a battle with cancer, was a political towering figure in Miami's Cuban exile community — a fierce opponent of Fidel Castro and a devoted advocate for a free Cuba.
Sadly, Díaz-Balart is yet another Cuban exile outlived by the communist Castro regime, which today remains in power after 66 years.
His life was emblematic of the Cuban exile experience — a narrative of loss, resilience and an unbreakable will to fight against oppressive governments. His fight extended beyond Cuba to Nicaragua and El Salvador, always championing the right of immigrants fleeing tyranny to find refuge in the United States.
Unfortunately, no one in Congress today plays that role quite like he did.
An unwavering dedication to human rights and immigrant advocacy defined his legislative career. Among his most historic achievements in Congress was codifying the U.S. embargo on Cuba through the Helms-Burton Act, ensuring that only an act of Congress could lift it. He also played a crucial role in passing the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act, a 1997 law that allowed individuals from Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala who entered the U.S. during a period of political unrest in their home countries to apply for a green card and a path to citizenship.
Such a law would never get off the ground today.
Díaz-Balart was among the first to help establish Cuban Americans as a powerful and influential voting bloc within the GOP, helping shape local, state and national politics for decades, just as President Ronald Reagan, the first to seriously court the Cuban vote, was elected.
An intellectual with sharp political instincts, Díaz-Balart was fully fluent in English and became the first young Cuban exile politician to gain recognition beyond exile circles. He initially entered politics in South Florida in 1982 as a Democrat but, disenchanted by what he saw as the party's leniency toward communism, switched to the Republican Party in 1985. He was first elected to public office in the Florida House in 1986 and, then, in the Senate. He ran for Congress and won, representing Florida's 21st District from 1992 to 2011. Today, his younger brother, Mario Díaz-Balart, holds the redistricted seat.
'Lincoln's influence in framing the debate on U.S. policy toward Cuba, centered on democracy, freedom and human rights, cannot be overstated. He was the intellectual giant among our delegation,' former Republican U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who served years with Díaz-Balart, told the Editorial Board. 'He was the author of some of the most consequential pieces of legislation to punish the oppressors of the Cuban people.'
Mario Díaz-Balart described him as a 'defender of the silenced and oppressed.'
Politics ran through the Díaz-Balart family's blood, as did their fierce opposition to Castro. His father, Rafael Díaz-Balart, was a majority leader in Cuba's House of Representatives. But Diaz-Balart's opposition to Castro was more than political — it was deeply personal. His aunt, Mirta Díaz-Balart, was Fidel Castro's first wife, making Castro, briefly, his uncle by marriage.
This familial connection did nothing to soften his criticism of the Cuban regime. If anything, it fueled his resolve.
Known for his fiery rhetoric, Díaz-Balart consistently condemned the Cuban government's human rights abuses and authoritarian rule. For nearly a decade, his speeches in Congress often echoed the frustrations and hopes of countless Cuban exiles in Miami yearning for their homeland's freedom.
Even after retiring from Congress in 2011, Díaz-Balart never stopped fighting for a free Cuba. Through legal and consulting work, he remained deeply engaged in Western Hemisphere affairs, offering insights and support to initiatives promoting democracy on the island.
His passing is a profound loss to the Cuban exile community, particularly to the first wave of exiles who arrived in the U.S. in the early 1960s, and to all immigrants who came to the U.S. seeking freedom and safety.
He was a beacon of hope, a voice that never wavered from loudly demanding 'Viva Cuba Libre!' and standing up for what's right.
Click here to send the letter.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Vance on LA unrest: Newsom should ‘look in mirror' and stop blaming Trump
Vance on LA unrest: Newsom should ‘look in mirror' and stop blaming Trump

The Hill

time8 minutes ago

  • The Hill

Vance on LA unrest: Newsom should ‘look in mirror' and stop blaming Trump

Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday tore into California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) for suggesting the unrest in Los Angeles is a consequence of federal involvement in state and local law enforcement efforts. 'Gavin Newsom says he didn't have a problem until Trump got involved,' Vance wrote in a post on X, attaching two photos that he said were taken before Trump ordered the National Guard to protect border patrol agents in California. One depicted rioters appearing to attack a 'border patrol' van, and another depicted a car set ablaze. The Hill was not able to verify the authenticity of the photos. 'Does this look like 'no problem'?' Vance asked. Vance suggested Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass 'fomented and encouraged the riots,' with the goal of promoting mass migration into the U.S., adding, 'It is their reason for being.' 'If you want to know why illegal aliens flocked to your state, stop accusing Donald Trump. Look in the mirror,' Vance said. 'If you want to know why border patrol fear for their lives over enforcing the law, look in the mirror.' Vance pointed to California's Medicaid expansion last year to low-income undocumented immigrants as an example of a policy that has 'encouraged mass migration into California.' Newsom has since proposed ending new Medicaid enrollment for undocumented adults, but his proposal faces resistance from the state legislature. 'Your policies that protected those migrants from common sense law enforcement. Your policies that offered massive welfare benefits to reward illegal immigrants. Your policies that allowed those illegal migrants (and their sympathizers) to assault our law enforcement. Your policies that allowed Los Angeles to turn into a war zone,' Vance continued. 'You sure as hell had a problem before President Trump came along. The problem is YOU,' Vance added. Vance's post is the latest in a back-and-forth between the administration and Newsom, who has resisted Trump's extraordinary steps to deploy 4,000 National Guard troops to the area and mobilize 700 active-duty marines. Newsom has insisted that the situation was under control before the Trump administration escalated tensions by making a provocative show of force. He accused Trump of 'intentionally causing chaos, terrorizing communities and endangering the principles of our great democracy.' After Trump suggested his border czar arrest Newsom, the California governor responded by saying, 'The President of the United States just called for the arrest of a sitting Governor. This is a day I hoped I would never see in America.' 'I don't care if you're a Democrat or a Republican this is a line we cannot cross as a nation — this is an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism,' Newsom added Monday afternoon. Vance then replied to Newsom, saying, 'Do your job. That's all we're asking.' 'Do YOUR job. We didn't have a problem until Trump got involved. Rescind the order. Return control to California,' Newsom responded, prompting Vance's latest response.

NY lawmaker lambastes failed commemoration of Oct 7 attack, as Dem leadership accused of 'antisemitism'
NY lawmaker lambastes failed commemoration of Oct 7 attack, as Dem leadership accused of 'antisemitism'

Fox News

time13 minutes ago

  • Fox News

NY lawmaker lambastes failed commemoration of Oct 7 attack, as Dem leadership accused of 'antisemitism'

The New York assemblyman behind an effort to formally commemorate the Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack in Israel lambasted leadership for tanking what was supposed to be a "poignant" bill remembering the tragedy. Assemblyman Lester Chang, R-Brooklyn – one of the few GOP members from New York City in the 103-47 Democratic-majority chamber – said he had been working on a resolution for New York state to officially remember the terror attack since hostage negotiations began a year ago. "I'm a Navy veteran of 24 years and I did a tour in Afghanistan. So I understand what war is all about," said Chang. "I've seen atrocities out there." Once American figures like then-candidate Donald Trump began helping hostage negotiations, Chang said he directed his staff to craft a message – which he said took more than a month of back-and-forth to make sure it was "balanced" and did not have a partisan streak. "We submitted it in January, as a resolution, and it was rejected… because [leadership] said it was 'controversial,'" Chang said. "We were astounded but not surprised. So we converted it to a bill," he said, adding that, in the end, a bill would be better because a resolution only commemorates an event for that year, while a bill would codify the remembrance for eternity. With a handful of Democratic co-sponsors, Chang and colleagues believed they had the right balance to attempt to put it up for a vote, but as the New York Post reported, it was reportedly ultimately blocked by House Speaker Carl Heastie, D-Bronx, and other top Democrats. Chang said the bill, destined for the smaller governmental operations committee, was redirected to the larger Ways and Means committee, and that four members were "switched out." The top Republican on that panel, Assemblyman Ed Ra, told the New York Post that remembering Oct. 7 and/or combating antisemitism should never be "political." Republican Assemblyman Ari Brown, who, like Ra, represents Long Island, accused Albany Democrats of "veiled antisemitism," telling the Post the legislature is "rotten" with it. The assembly also tanked a resolution from Brown that complimented Chang's bill. Compounding that was, as Chang described, no GOP bills have been successfully put through the process at all this session. "Having me as a Republican [sponsor] – that would [procedurally] choke them – not because of me, the person, but as a member of that party." Chang said he would just as soon "give this bill to a Democrat" to sponsor if it meant commemorating the Oct. 7 attack. He added that, as a person of Chinese ancestry who represents largely Asian and Italian Bensonhurst, he has no religious horse in the race. "That should make it more poignant as a non-Jewish person pushing this bill in a mostly Christian and Buddhist district," he said. At least seven Democrats did come out in support of the Oct. 7 remembrance legislation, all of whom hail from New York City. Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, R-Niagara Falls, echoed Chang's concerns in comments to Fox News Digital. "Many New Yorkers had loved ones injured or worse in the terror attacks in Israel on Oct. 7," Ortt said. "The least we can do is commemorate this tragic day." "Instead of taking commonsense action, Albany Democrats would rather play politics, and have time and again refused to defend our Jewish brothers and sisters." Fox News Digital reached out to Heastie for comment and response to the allegations but did not hear back.

Small Business Owners Say Taxes Are Their Biggest Worry
Small Business Owners Say Taxes Are Their Biggest Worry

Yahoo

time15 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Small Business Owners Say Taxes Are Their Biggest Worry

Taxes were the biggest worry for small business owners in May, the monthly small business optimism survey showed. The survey results come as Congress continues to debate President Donald Trump's 'Big, Beautiful' budget bill, which has been criticized for adding to the deficit. Overall, the NFIB Small Business Optimism Index increased for the first time this year to reach 98.8, after declining on tariff Congress continues to debate President Donald Trump's signature legislative proposal, small business owners are becoming increasingly worried about the lack of clarity on taxes. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) monthly survey on small business optimism showed that taxes are the top concern for many business owners, as inflation worries ebbed. It also found that uncertainty among small business owners rose as tariff and tax policies remained unclear. 'The economy will continue to stumble along until the major sources of uncertainty are resolved. It's hard to steer a ship in the fog,' the report said. Overall, the NFIB said small business optimism increased for the first time this year, coming in at 98.8 in May after declining in March and April amid ongoing concerns over U.S. tariffs. The report showed that tariffs didn't fuel as much inflation anxiety among business owners as they have for consumers. Instead, taxes were the top concern for 18% of business owners in May, outranking both inflation and labor quality. Inflation is frequently the top concern for small businesses, and remained the biggest worry for 14% of owners in May. Taxes haven't been the biggest concern for business owners since 2020, the report showed. 'This issue will likely remain top of mind for small firms over the next couple of months as Congress irons out the details of its tax and spending bill,' wrote Wells Fargo economists Jackie Benson and Ali Hajibeigi. The report comes as Congress considers Trump's 'Big, Beautiful' budget bill, which would extend many tax cuts that were first enacted in 2017. While the bill passed the House of Representatives by only one vote, some senators have raised questions about its spending cuts. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, once a Trump ally, has also criticized the legislation as an abomination due to projections that it will increase the budget deficit. 'Congress hasn't passed the Big Beautiful Bill yet, and Trump is still messing with tariffs; the uncertainty level is rising,' the report said. 'While tariffs might be a bumpy road while countries negotiate trade deals, Congress can do its part by passing the BBB sooner rather than later to take that piece of uncertainty off the table.' Read the original article on Investopedia Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store