Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., told Newsmax on Monday that she believes many Cubans would trade spots with American citizens if given the choice.
Her comments came in response to a trip by the left-wing activist group Code Pink, whose members traveled to Cuba to protest U.S. policy toward the island, including the oil blockade put in place under President Donald Trump — a stance Tenney suggested does not reflect the views of many Cubans themselves.
"Cubans would do anything, would give anything to be able to become American citizens and do what we do in our country," Tenney told "Ed Henry The Big Take."
"And I would say probably many of the Cubans — even in Cuba — probably support President Trump's policies."
She said the protesters will support Cuba over an energy blockade while ignoring crippling energy policies imposed by the state of New York on its residents.
"They're protesting an oil blockade into Cuba when they're not letting us use fossil fuels in upstate New York," Tenney said.
"We can't even ... do safe gas exploration with a gift that we've been given of the Marcellus and Utica Shale all over the Southern Tier and parts of my district in upstate New York."
She said blocking use of valuable energy reserves in New York is a terrible and unfair policy.
"But they use all the fossil fuels in New York City — 95% dependent for their electrical grid on fossil fuels — while upstate New York is only about 30%," Tenney said.
"It is just absolutely hypocritical and astounding that they're down celebrating Cuba," she said.
"They need to go and march through Miami with this parade, because guess what? The Cuban diaspora there will chase them out of town."
"All the protesters, whether they're the anti-ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement], the 'No Kings,' the whole group ... they're really all anti-Trump."
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Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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