From TIME · Chantelle Lee · · 1m 20s
Trump's Endorsed Ally Breaks on Immigration
Florida Republican María Elvira Salazar publicly criticizes the President's immigration crackdown just months after winning his endorsement.
In brief
Florida Republican María Elvira Salazar publicly criticizes the President's immigration crackdown just months after winning his endorsement. Even Trump-backed Republicans are distancing themselves from his immigration policies as they face re-election, signaling political risk in his enforcement approach. Originally…
Trump's endorsed ally breaks ranks
Rep. María Elvira Salazar, a Florida Republican Trump endorsed in February, released an ad Thursday criticizing his immigration enforcement as having gone "too far."
“Mr. President, some of your immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far.”
Hispanic voters feel betrayed
Salazar said the same Hispanic voters who helped elect Trump in 2024 "feel betrayed today" by his immigration policies.
“The same Hispanics who helped you get to the White House in 2024 feel betrayed today.”
A dramatic reversal from February
In February, Trump posted on Truth Social that Salazar was "doing a truly fantastic job" and gave her his "Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election."
“Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election”
Trump punishes party defectors
Trump has endorsed challengers to Republicans who break with him. He backed Ed Gallrein, who defeated Rep. Thomas Massie in Kentucky's May primary after Massie objected to Trump policies.
Opponent calls it campaign desperation
Democratic nominee Eliott Rodríguez accused Salazar of seeking Trump's endorsement then turning against him because his immigration policy is "political poison" in her re-election race.
“because [Trump's] immigration policy is political poison in her re-election campaign.”
District is 54% foreign-born
Salazar represents Florida's 27th District, where over 54% of residents are foreign-born, one of the highest proportions in Congress. She's also backing a bipartisan bill to give non-criminal immigrants a path to legal status.
What it means
Even Trump-backed Republicans are distancing themselves from his immigration policies as they face re-election, signaling political risk in his enforcement approach.
