Cruz and Rubio: Cuba-American Privilege and the Betrayal of the Immigrant Dream

May 9, 2025

A 2-year old girl, a U.S. citizen battling cancer, is deported to Honduras with her undocumented mother. A college student on a visa protesting for Palestinian lives is a sent back to her country, her dreams of a degree shattered. These are not dystopian nightmares- They're the reality in 2025, under immigration policies cheered by Senator Ted Cruz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. As Cuban-Americans whose families fled oppression for the American Dream , they should know better. Their parents found refuge through lenient U. S. policies, yet they back President Trump's mass deportations and tax cuts that cost nation $708-724 billion annually, crushing the hopes of Millions. This betrayal, fueled by Christian Nationalism and political ambition threatens our Constitution and economy. It's time to call them out, remind them of their roots and warn that silence today could doom us all tomorrow.

The Cuban-American Privilege

Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio stand as living proof of America's immigrant promise- yet they've forgotten its meaning. Their families escaped Cuba's turmoil welcomed by policies that rolled out the red carpet for Cuban exiles during the Cold War. Curz's father, Rafael fled Batista's Cuba in 1957 with $100 sewn into his underwear . A student visa led to asylum and later citizenship, under policies that saw Cubans as anti-communist heroes. Rubio's parents arrived in 1956 seeking economic opportunity before Castro's rise. The Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966 fast-tracked their residency, a privilege cemented by the "wet foot, dry foot" policy (1995-2017) which granted Cubans legal status the moment they touched U.S. soil. These doors, wide open for Cubans, slammed shut for others-Mexicans, Salvadorans, Venezuelans- facing violence or poverty,

Today, 4.4 million U.S. citizen children live in mixed-status families, at risk of deportation like the toddler with cancer. Non-citizens, including undocumented workers, students, and visa holders, pay $158-174 billion in taxes yearly- $96.7 billion from undocumented workers alone. Their contributions fund schools, roads, and hospitals in Texas and Florida, yet Cruz and Rubio turn their backs. Senator Cruz,, Secretary Rubio, your families were lucky. Why deny others the chance yours had?

Betraying the Immigrant Dream

Cruz and Rubio's actions are a stark betrayal of the dreams their parents chased. They've aligned with Trump's 2025 agenda, which tears families apart and threatens the Constitution they swore to protect.

Cruz once a champion of "rule of law" endorses mass deportation that rip U. S. citizen children from their homes. in 2025 , a10-year old girl with brain cancer was deported to Mexico with her parents, her treatment disrupted. Rubio now Secretary of State, calls these deportations "parental Choices" ignoring the coercion of detention and expedited removal. Both support ending protections like Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 700,000Venezuelans and deporting DREAMers, policies that echo Project 2025's Christian Nationalist vision of a homogenous America.

The economic cost is staggering. Non-citizens contribute $156-174 billion in taxes-$19-22 billion from TPS and DACA recipients alone. Add Trump's proposed tax cuts for billionaires and corporations ($550 billion yearly) , and the U.S. loses $708-724 billion annually, enough to fund Medicare or education for millions. Cruzz and Rubio, whose Cuban families paid no such price, back these cuts, prioritizing wealth over workers who pay $8.889 each in taxes. Their policies don't just shatter dreams- they gut the economy and erode due process, as federal judges warn in 2025 deportation cases.

Worse, Trump's plans escalate: revoking TPS, targeting legal status, and deporting millions to violent nations like El Salvador. Project 2025, which Cruz and Rubio implicitly support , pushes a Christian Nationalist state, elevating one faith over other and "othering" non-Christian and immigrants. This isn't the America their parents sought- it's a betrayal of the Constitution's promise of equity .

Senator Cruz, Secretary Rubio, your families found refuge. Why destroy the dreams of parents who, like yours only want a better life for their children?

Niemoller's Warning: First they Came

Silence in the face of injustice is a choice with consequences. Martin Miemoller's poem, born from Nazi-era regret, warns us to act before it's too late. Today, as Trump's policies target immigrants and threaten legal protections, Cruz and Rubio's complicity risks a future where no one is safe- not even their own Cuban-American community.

First they came for the Venezuelan's, who paid $19 billion in taxes and I did nothing because I was not Venezuelan

Then they came for the Salvadorans, Sent to a land of violence, and I stayed silent, because I was not Salvadoran

Then they came for the DREAMers, whose dreams mirrored my own, and I looked away because I was not a DREAMer

Then t hey came for the Cubans, stripping their legal status, and there was no one left to speak for me.

This isn't hyperbole. Trump's 2025rhetoric flirts with ending birthright citizenship and revoking TPS, policies that could one day target Cuban-Americans if Christian Nationalism's "us vs them" logic prevails. Project 2025's theocratic vision, which Cruz and Rubio enable, sees immigrants as threats, not taxpayers contributing $158-174 billion. By staying silent, they risk a future where their own people face the same fate. Senator, Secretary your community is safe for now- don't wait until it's not

The Economic and Moral Cost

The numbers are undeniable; deporting non-citizens and slashing taxes for the wealthy would cost $708-724 billion yearly- 10% of federal revenue. This loss could balloon the deficit to $2.3 trillion, forcing cuts to Social Security, schools, or healthcare, hitting vulnerable Latinos hardest. Undocumentyed workers alone pay $96.7 billion, including $28 billion to Social Security they'll never claim. Students, visa holders, and TPS recipients add billions more, yet face deportation for daring to protest or exist.

Morally, Cruz and Rubio's hypocrisy is glaring. Their families were welcomed as heroes, yet they back policies that deport toddlers with cancer and students advocating against genocide. Their Cuban heritage should inspire empathy, not ambition-fueled silence. By aliging with Project 2025's Christian Nationalist agenda, they endorse a vision that "others" Muslims, Jews, atheists, threatening the Constitutions core. This isn't the America their parents dreamed of- it's a step toward division, perhaps even the chaos some fear could end in global catastrophe.

A Call to Action

We can't let Cruz and Rubio forget where they came from- or the dreams they're destroying. Their families found a home here, and so can others, if we fight for it. Here's how you can help:

share this post on X, tagging @tedcruz and @marcorubio. Demand they oppose deportations and tax cuts costing $708 billion.

Support advocacy groups like the ACLU (aclu.org) or RAICES (raicestexas.org) fighting for immigrant families

Vote for leaders who uphold the Constitution and immigrant rights, not Christian Nationalism or billionaire handouts.

Comment below. What do you think Cruz and Rubio should do to honor their heritage?

The American Dream isn't exclusive- it's for every parent seeking a better life, every child fighting cancer, every student speaking truth. Senator, Secretary your parents found refuge. Be the voice for those still seeking it, before Trump's policies tear us all apart.