Cubans and Haitians fleeing by boat warned against traveling to US

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday vowed to turn away Cuban and Haitian refugees who attempt to arrive in the US by boat amid crises in their countries.

“Allow me to be clear: If you take to the sea, you will not come to the United States,” Mayorkas said at a news conference.

Cuba on Sunday had its largest protests in decades, with citizens denouncing the Communist leadership and a lack of food and COVID-19 vaccines. Haitian President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated last week, sparking a political crisis.