Trump Supporting Rapper To Be Deported

Cuban rapper Eliéxer Márquez Duany, known to fans as El Funky and one of the leading voices behind the protest anthem “Patria y Vida,” is now facing deportation from the United States. Earlier this month, U.S. immigration officials denied his application for permanent residency under the 1966 Cuban Adjustment Act. He now has fewer than 30 days to leave the country or risk being deported and, if returned to Cuba, he’s likely to face imprisonment for his role in inspiring the largest anti-government protests the island has seen in decades.

While Márquez Duany’s situation grows more urgent, many of the political figures who once praised him have gone silent. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, once vocal in his support for Cuban dissidents and the #CubaLibre movement, has yet to make any public statement. Neither have Florida Representatives Carlos Giménez or Mario Díaz-Balart, who once celebrated Márquez Duany’s activism by entering the lyrics of “Patria y Vida” into the Congressional Record. Repeated requests for comment have gone unanswered by all three offices.

Despite social media attention and scattered pleas for support, there’s been little visible momentum to rally behind Márquez Duany. There are no protests, no major petitions, and no coordinated campaigns to stop his deportation. Even his fellow artists from the “Patria y Vida” movement have been mostly silent. The only elected official to publicly step up has been Rep. María Elvira Salazar of Florida. After being contacted by POLITICO Magazine, Salazar issued a statement affirming that Márquez Duany is a political refugee who deserves full protection under U.S. immigration law. Her office confirmed Thursday that they are working directly with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to prevent his removal and highlight the dangers he would face in Cuba, including torture and political persecution.

The case is striking for several reasons. It underscores how dramatically Marco Rubio’s political stance has evolved during his tenure in the Trump administration. Not long ago, it would have been difficult to imagine him staying silent in a situation like this. It also reflects how significantly President Trump has reshaped U.S. immigration policy toward Cubans. For decades, the United States maintained a welcoming posture toward Cuban refugees an extension of Cold War-era politics that cast the U.S. as a sanctuary from communist oppression. That open-door approach has changed.

What makes the situation even more complex is that Márquez Duany, despite facing deportation under Trump-era policies, remains a supporter of the president. Like the majority of Cuban Americans, he continues to align with Trump politically even as the administration’s hardline stance on immigration puts his future in jeopardy.