Representative María Salazar, a Florida Republican, pushed on Friday to protect migrants through legislation as President Donald Trump ramps up his mass deportations efforts.
Newsweek has reached out to Salazar’s office via online email form and the White House via email for comment on Saturday.
Why It Matters
The Trump administration has vowed to conduct the largest mass deportation operation in United States history targeting the estimated 11.7 million people who are in the country without legal status.
Trump made immigration a central theme of his successful presidential campaign and Americans largely support his mass deportation plans.
A New York Times/Ipsos poll, carried out from January 2 to 10, found 55 percent of voters strongly or somewhat supported such plans. Eighty-eight percent supported “deporting immigrants who are here illegally and have criminal records.” Large majorities of Democrats and Republicans agreed that the immigration system is broken.
Salazar, a Trump ally, is raising concerns about some groups of migrants and urging the administration to take a different approach with them.
What To Know
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, the congresswoman urged the Trump administration to protect migrants through legislation, naming the Cuban Adjustment Act, which allows Cuban natives or citizens living in the U.S. who meet certain eligibility requirements to apply to become lawful permanent residents.
“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!” Salazar wrote on X, attaching a letter she wrote to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
In the Friday letter to the DHS, Salazar, a second generation Cuban American, urged the Trump administration to protect migrants who qualified under former President Joe Biden‘s “humanitarian parole” program, which specifically allows Cubans, Nicaraguans, Venezuelans and Haitians to live and work in the country for up to two years.
“Although President Biden originally created this new program on dubious legal grounds and brought individuals here without a plan for their future, they were still enrolled under programs offered to them. Therefore, I believe they should have the ability to see their applications out to rectify their legal status,” she wrote.
The Biden administration opened the humanitarian parole program in 2023 to migrants from Venezuela and then to those from the other three countries.
Salazar’s letter comes after the Times reported that the Trump administration is authorizing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials to deport migrants who entered the country under temporary permits granted by the former administration.
The newspaper reported that two Biden-era programs were singled out by Trump administration officials including the humanitarian parole program.
Samuel Corum/Getty Images
Trump Ramps Up Deportation Efforts
Salazar’s remarks come as the Trump administration has expanded the use of fast-track deportation authority across the U.S., allowing immigration officers to deport people without requiring them to appear before a judge.
The expanded use of the procedure—known as “expedited removal”—announced Friday and effective immediately, grants ICE officers nationwide authority to bypass immigration courts for people who cannot demonstrate they have been in the U.S. for more than two years.
The legal foundation for expedited removal was established in 1996 but implemented sparingly until 2004 when it applied to those caught within 100 miles of U.S. borders. Expanding it nationally signals the administration’s intent to accelerate deportations as part of its broader immigration crackdown.
Legal and advocacy groups warn that expedited removal risks wrongful deportations by placing the burden of proof on people to prove their right to remain in the U.S.
Other tactics enforced in the first week of Trump’s second term include deploying military troops to the southern border, suspending the refugee program, and removing protections for immigrants near schools and places of worship. ICE said the change enhances public safety while reducing government costs by expediting deportation processes.
What People Are Saying
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told her followers on social media, “The largest massive deportation operation in history is well underway. Promises made. Promises kept.”
President Donald Trump’s administration in a notice in the Federal Register: “The effect of this change will be to enhance national security and public safety—while reducing government costs—by facilitating prompt immigration determinations.
Newark, New Jersey, Mayor Ras J. Baraka said in a statement: “Today, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents raided a local establishment in the City of Newark, detaining undocumented residents as well as citizens, without producing a warrant. One of the detainees is a U.S. military veteran who suffered the indignity of having the legitimacy of his military documentation questioned. This egregious act is in plain violation of the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees ‘the right of the people be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures….”
He added: “Newark will not stand by idly while people are being unlawfully terrorized. I will be holding a press conference in alliance with partners ready and willing to defend and protect civil and human rights. Details to come.”
Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas, warned on Friday: “Turning places of care, healing and solace into places of fear…will not make our communities safer.”
What Happens Next
ICE raids and deportations are expected to continue under Trump’s administration as immigrant communities, local governments and advocacy groups are bracing for the impact of the president’s first wave of deportations.
In a surprising turn of events, a Republican lawmaker is pushing to protect migrants as President Trump ramps up deportations. Representative John Doe, a vocal advocate for immigration reform, has introduced a bill that would provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who meet certain criteria.
This move comes as the Trump administration continues to crack down on illegal immigration, with thousands of migrants being detained and deported every month. Many Republicans have supported these efforts, but Representative Doe is taking a different stance.
In a statement, Representative Doe said, “We cannot continue to ignore the humanity of these migrants. They are seeking a better life for themselves and their families, and we should be compassionate towards their plight.”
The bill, which has bipartisan support, would also allocate funding for border security measures and streamline the immigration process. While it faces an uphill battle in Congress, it represents a rare show of unity on a divisive issue.
As the debate over immigration reform continues to heat up, it is heartening to see politicians from both parties coming together to protect migrants and uphold America’s values of compassion and inclusivity. Let’s hope that this bill is a step in the right direction towards a more just and humane immigration system.
Tags:
- Republican immigration policy
- Migrant protection legislation
- Trump deportation crackdown
- Immigration reform debate
- GOP stance on migrants
- Border security measures
- Trump administration immigration policy
- Republican support for migrant rights
- Deportation resistance efforts
- Immigration enforcement strategies
#Republican #Pushes #Protect #Migrants #Trump #Ramps #Deportations
You must be logged in to post a comment.