Cuban exile women form bipartisan group to push back against Trump-era policies

A network of Cuban American women, many former Republicans, have organized as Cuban American Women Supporting Democracy to advocate for immigration reform, abortion rights and other progressive causes.

Cuban American Women Supporting Democracy (CAWSD) began as a modest online chat during Donald Trump’s first term and now counts roughly 250 members, primarily retired doctors, engineers and business owners from Miami-Dade County and other parts of Florida. The coalition, led by president Carolina Camps, focuses on issues such as immigration reform, opposition to school book bans, abortion rights and voter-access initiatives, including a large postcard campaign for Florida’s Amendment 4.

Many members, including former Republican anesthesiologist Maria Eugenia Laurencio, left the GOP after feeling shunned for opposing Trump’s policies and rhetoric. The group regularly protests at sites like the Alligator Alcatraz detention facility and ICE offices, and they provide aid to families of deported individuals. Analysts note that despite a recent surge in Republican support among Cuban Americans, the organization seeks to demonstrate political diversity within the community. Their activism underscores a broader debate over how Cuban exile voters align with U.S. parties.