President Donald Trump has kept his campaign promise to launch mass deportations across the country on “Day One” and eliminated the “Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV),” a program created by the Biden administration to handle asylum seekers from those four countries, where political repression and violence are rampant.
[NOTE: Voice of America, soon to be run by Trump appointee Kari Lake, headlined the Trump action Trump revokes humanitarian parole for migrants from 4 countries. The CHNV program allowed up to 30,000 people per month to legally enter the U.S. and stay for up to 24 months, contingent upon having a U.S.-based supporter.]
GOP Rep. Maria Salazar (R-FL) — who campaigned for Trump — is now concerned about the “expedited removal” aimed at the populations protected by the CHNV program, many of whom currently reside in Miami, Florida.
Congratulations, President Trump!
What a country we have!
The Lord Almighty has shown compassion on the United States. Big things are coming for our country under his leadership!
Relatedly, Hispanics have seen the benefits of voting Republican.
This is just the beginning! pic.twitter.com/yrTvtApmLy
— María Elvira Salazar
(@MaElviraSalazar) November 6, 2024
As seen in the letter below, Salazar (a daughter of Cuban exiles) responded by writing a letter to the Acting Director of Homeland Security, Secretary Benjamine Huffman, urging him to “PROTECT Cubans awaiting legal status adjustment through the Cuban Adjustment Act,” and to “ALSO protect the Venezuelans and Nicaraguans without a criminal record going through the asylum process.” (Note: ALL CAPS are Salazar’s.)
I’m urging Homeland Security to PROTECT Cubans awaiting legal status adjustment through the Cuban Adjustment Act.
We must ALSO protect the Venezuelans and Nicaraguans without a criminal record going through the asylum process.
Don’t penalize them for Biden’s screw-ups! pic.twitter.com/WqkAQ0nhE4
— Rep. María Elvira Salazar (@RepMariaSalazar) January 24, 2025
In her objection to Trump’s actions, Salazar continued to jab President Biden for creating the new program “on dubious legal grounds” which “brought individuals here without a plan for their future.” Yet Salazar asserts that, “dubious legal grounds” notwithstanding, these migrants “should have the ability to see their applications out to rectify their legal status.”
Apparently trying to maintain favor with Trump, while explicitly disagreeing with his actions, Salazar tells the Trump administration: “Don’t punish them for Biden’s screw ups!”
Terminó la semana en Washington y antes de irme a Miami envié una carta al Departamento de Seguridad Nacional pidiendo que protejan de la deportación a cubanos, venezolanos, nicaragüenses y haitianos con Parole.
Déjenme sus comentarios. pic.twitter.com/1UKYmp4bly
— María Elvira Salazar
Democratic political analyst and former Hispanic Media Director and Spokesperson for the DNC, Marco Frieri, responded to Salazar’s letter on X: “She campaigned next to him, said nothing while immigrants were denigrated, and now acts surprised by the actions of the Trump administration.”
He added a note directed at Salazar: “you betrayed these communities in your district, and now you are asking for exceptions. Hipócrita. Miami will remember this.”
She campaigned next to him, said nothing while immigrants were denigrated, and now acts surprised by the actions of the Trump administration.@MaElviraSalazar you betrayed these communities in your district, and now you are asking for exceptions. Hipócrita.
Miami will remember… pic.twitter.com/pPhKyfnExc
— Marco Frieri (@MarcoAFrieri) January 25, 2025