Marco Rubio on Alan Gross Sentence: 'Deplorable Attack on Freedom'

Florida Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio weighed in over the weekend on Cuba sentencing Alan Gross, an American the Castro regime accuses of spying while his defenders maintain he was helping with setting up communications technology.

"The Cuban regime's 15-year prison sentence for Alan Gross is a deplorable attack on freedom, said Rubio. "Earlier this week, the Obama administration approved new expanded travel to Cuba, a state sponsor of terrorism. With Mr. Gross' sentencing, the Castro regime has effectively demonstrated the hopeless and dangerous naivetof this administration's policy toward the regime.

"Mr. Gross is simply a humanitarian who was seeking to help the Jewish community in Cuba access the Internet, and he deserves to be freed and reunited with his family at once, added Rubio. I strongly urge President Obama and Secretary Clinton to immediately halt the issuance of new Cuba travel licenses approved this week."