MIAMI — Republican U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar is putting distance between herself and President Donald Trump on immigration enforcement, telling the president that some of his administration’s actions have gone “too far” as she campaigns for another term in Florida’s 27th Congressional District.
Salazar expanded on that message Sunday during an appearance on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” saying she had spoken directly with Trump after releasing the ad and found the president receptive to her concerns.
The unusually direct criticism comes at a politically sensitive moment for Salazar, who faces Democratic nominee Eliott Rodríguez in the Nov. 3 general election. A recent internal poll commissioned by Rodríguez’s campaign showed the candidates tied at 45%, although the campaign-sponsored survey should be viewed as one snapshot of the race rather than a definitive measure of its current state.
In a campaign advertisement released Thursday, Salazar addressed Trump directly and warned that his administration’s immigration enforcement was alienating Hispanic voters.
“Mr. President, some of your immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far,” Salazar said.
She also argued that Hispanic voters who supported Trump in 2024 now “feel betrayed,” while stressing that she was not calling for what she described as amnesty.
Immigration moves to center of CD-27 campaign
The message places immigration squarely at the center of a congressional contest already drawing increasing attention in South Florida.
Eliott Rodríguez and María Elvira Salazar were tied at 45% in a recent CD-27 poll.
The Bendixen & Amandi International survey, conducted for Rodríguez’s campaign, found Salazar and Rodríguez each receiving 45% support. The same poll found Trump underwater in the district. Because the survey was commissioned by Rodríguez’s campaign, its sponsorship and methodology are important context when assessing the findings.
Florida’s 27th Congressional District is heavily Hispanic. Salazar nevertheless enters the general election after winning the district comfortably in 2024, while Trump also carried the district that year.
That makes Salazar’s public disagreement with the president particularly notable as both campaigns compete for Hispanic voters.
Rodríguez attacks Salazar’s record
Rodríguez quickly seized on Salazar’s advertisement.
The former CBS Miami anchor argued that Salazar’s criticism of Trump conflicts with her record in Congress and accused her of supporting the administration’s immigration agenda while attempting to present herself as an advocate for immigrants.
Rodríguez told CBS News Miami that Salazar votes contrary to the immigration position she is now emphasizing publicly.
The dispute gives Rodríguez another line of attack in a campaign that has already featured disagreements over debates and the candidates’ competing visions for the Miami-area district.
Salazar points to Dignity Act
Salazar has long promoted a different immigration approach through the bipartisan Dignity Act.
The legislation, which Salazar has championed with Democratic Rep. Veronica Escobar of Texas, would establish a pathway for certain undocumented immigrants who have lived in the United States for years to obtain legal status while meeting work and restitution requirements.
It would also provide conditional permanent resident status for qualifying DACA recipients.
Supporters describe the legislation as a compromise combining immigration enforcement with legal status for longtime undocumented residents, while some conservative critics have characterized the proposal as amnesty.
Salazar specifically rejected that characterization in her new campaign message.
Trump responds — and continues supporting Salazar
Trump subsequently responded to the criticism without withdrawing his support for the Republican congresswoman.
Asked about Salazar, Trump said he remained supportive of her while acknowledging their disagreement over immigration and border policy.
Salazar then said she spoke directly with Trump by telephone following the controversy.
She described their conversation as “very courteous” and “very receptive,” according to WLRN, and said she reiterated her concerns about how the administration’s immigration strategy is affecting Latino voters.
The exchange leaves Salazar in an unusual position heading toward November: campaigning as a Republican endorsed by Trump while openly challenging one of the president’s signature policies.
Immigration could shape final weeks
Immigration has become an increasingly prominent issue in the CD-27 campaign, with Salazar emphasizing her longstanding push for immigration reform while criticizing aspects of the administration’s enforcement strategy. Rodríguez, meanwhile, is challenging Salazar’s congressional record and arguing that her recent criticism does not match her past support for Trump’s agenda.
Recent reporting indicates dissatisfaction among some South Florida Republicans is focused not necessarily on whether immigration laws should be enforced, but on how the administration is carrying out arrests and deportations.
For Salazar, the issue presents a balancing act between her longstanding advocacy for immigration reform and her relationship with Trump.
For Rodríguez, it offers an opportunity to challenge the incumbent’s record while attempting to capitalize on concerns about enforcement among Hispanic voters.
With Election Day approaching and recent polling suggesting a potentially competitive contest, the fight over immigration is positioned to remain a central issue in the final weeks of the CD-27 campaign.
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