TSA officials apologize to county officials after bipartisan outrage over Cuban delegation tour of MIA
Transportation Security Administration officials are apologizing over a recent tour of Miami International Airport that was given to a Cuban delegation.
The tour prompted outrage among local lawmakers, as well as Republican lawmakers and Cuban-American exiles.
Some Republican lawmakers said on Friday that the apology is too little, too late. They argue that a foreign visit like the one at MIA should have never occurred and cannot ever happen again.
“We were all shocked,” said U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla.
“What happened here at MIA was totally inexcusable,” said U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla.
Congressional Republicans slammed the Biden administration’s decision to allow a Cuban delegation to tour TSA facilities at MIA, such as a checkpoint and screening area, on Monday, which also fell on Cuban Independence Day.
Republicans said the tour weakened U.S. national security.
“We all fly through this airport. We want to be safe. How many people feel safe when you know that your state department is telling a state sponsor of terrorism, exactly all the security protocols that come through the airport?” said U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla.
Airport officials explained what the tour consisted of.
“Yesterday, for approximately five hours, five members of the Cuban government, Cuban officials, the equivalent of their TSA, received a tour,” said Miami-Dade Aviation Department Director Ralph Cutié.
The visit caused an uproar during a meeting of the Miami-Dade Commission. County commissioners and Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava were upset at the lack of communication between the county and federal officials.
“The administration, the airport director, no one related to Miami-Dade County government had any idea or any clue that this was ongoing,” said Vice Chairman Anthony Rodriguez.
Levine Cava pushed for answers from TSA.
“I have already contacted the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department to understand how this decision was made,” she said.
TSA responded with a meeting with county officials and an apology.
https://wsvn.com/news/local/miami-dade/tsa-officials-apologize-to-county-officials-after-bipartisan-outrage-over-cuban-delegation-tour-of-mia/
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