Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar from Florida is a MAGA ally and has campaigned for the Trump-Vance ticket on social media. Now, she’s pleading with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to protect Cubans, Haitians, and other asylees.
Salazar, a daughter of Cuban exiles, urged the DHHS to give parole to those enrolled under the Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans humanitarian program (CHNV). Signed under former President Biden, President Trump suspended the program on his first day in office as part of his executive order. “Don’t penalize them for Biden’s screw-ups!” Salazar wrote on X, blaming Biden for the flaws of the CHNV program.
These sentiments left people confused online, if not repulsed. One X user mocked Salazar, reminding her, “You’re trying to blame Biden? You were ALL IN!” After all, she was openly advocating for Trump during campaign season. Even up to now, Salazar is still aligned with Trump. Another X user accused Salazar of “asking for special earmarks for her friends and family” after she voted for Trump. Meanwhile, other Trump supporters online weren’t supportive and even sent racist remarks her way.
Perhaps the most confusing part about this saga is that Trump actively campaigned for mass deportations. It should come as no surprise that Trump is following through on day one with his chosen border czar. Exceptions don’t exist—not even for those whose families have a mixed status. Migrants voted for him, who ran on radical deportation methods, simply voted against their self-interest.
Salazar is surprisingly not the only one begging authorities to grant asylees leeway, despite being a Trump voter herself. Another Trump voter recorded herself in tears on TikTok. “Multiple people are scared to go to work. Where I work, a lot of Latinos didn’t go to work,” she said, crying about the mass deportation that is in action.
