“The accidental disclosure to the Cuban government is an example of any asylum seeker’s ‘nightmare scenario,’ said Robyn Barnard, associate director of refugee advocacy at Human Rights First,” The Los Angeles Times reported. “The words egregious and illegal don’t go far enough,” Barnard said. “And this is not any foreign government, but a government we have irrefutable evidence routinely detains and tortures those they suspect of being in opposition to them.”
The State Department had this past summer expressed concern over “ongoing harsh sentencing of political protesters in Cuba,” noting that judges had sentenced roughly 500 people from last year’s protest against the Cuban government to a combined 4,000 years imprisonment. ”Protesters are sentenced to prison, forced labor, or other punitive measures,” the State Department said. “These numbers include more than 20 protesters arrested as minors.”
“The agency has paused its effort to deport the immigrants in question and is considering releasing them from U.S. custody,” The Los Angeles Times said. But that should be considered for all detained individuals affected by the leak, which exposed names, birthdates, and where they’re currently being held within the U.S.
U.S. officials had apparently been unaware of the leak until notified by the Human Rights First advocacy group, The Los Angeles Times had reported earlier this month. Now we have another “accidental” leak putting vulnerable people in further danger. Careless? Intentional? Some combination of the two? ”To put all this in a bit of perspective, if an immigrant requests asylum they are supposed to have added secrecy and protection compared to normal immigrants,” tweeted Andrés Pertierra, a historian of Cuba. “Instead DHS has effectively doxxed them and then confirmed the doxxing to the state asylees left.”
“It is unacceptable that [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] released the identities of 6,252 asylum-seekers last month, putting these immigrants in danger,” tweeted California Rep. Norma Torres. “I sent a letter to the agency with 12 of my colleagues, demanding answers about how this outrageous mishandling of data occurred.”
“We are deeply troubled by this news because federal law mandates that the information of people seeking asylum is to be kept confidential,” lawmakers said in that letter. “Several of us frequently receive visits from individuals risking life and livelihood to help their communities thrive in the face of repressive regimes. Some of these courageous individuals go on to seek asylum in the United States—and it is unacceptable to put their information into the hands of bad actors.”
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