By U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar
Last week, Miami healthcare executive Mike Fernandez wrote an opinion article in the Miami Herald titled, “Open letter to the Miami-Dade Delegation” addressed to me, among others. It was long on passion but short on facts.
Let’s set the record straight.
Fernandez says we need a new immigration strategy grounded in courage. I agree. That’s why I wrote the Dignity Act, the first immigration solution proposed in over a decade.
My Dignity Act defends the vulnerable with compassion, offering hardworking immigrants the chance to come out of the shadows, earn legal status, and live with dignity.
It’s the only serious immigration reform bill on the table, and it also protects Venezuelans with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), something I’ve been fighting for long before Donald Trump returned to the White House.
At its height, nearly one in 10 members of Congress supported my bill, Republicans and Democrats, including the endorsement of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and many others.
One of my favorite endorsements? Fernandez.
I didn’t wait for someone to act; I led. That’s what the people of South Florida elected me to do. I wrote it and hand-delivered it to the Democrats’ doorstep.
I didn’t stop there. I’m the lead Republican sponsor of the American Dream and Promise Act, the American Families United Act and the Venezuelan Adjustment Act, laws designed to protect families and those fleeing brutality. These actions are the opposite of “silence.”
Anyone who truly cares about reform recognizes that. This isn’t about politics; it’s a pattern.
Democrats have promised immigration reform for decades, even during periods of complete control in Washington D.C., only to forget the workers who’ve spent a lifetime in limbo across sectors like agriculture and construction when change was within reach.
Biden pledged immigration action in his first 100 days. He didn’t deliver. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had full control. She didn’t lift a finger. No vote. No hearing. Not even a conversation on Dignity.
Instead, we got an open border, the greatest disservice to those patiently waiting, who were pushed deeper underground.
Biden signaled that America was open, then trapped millions in legal limbo with temporary programs and flawed processing. I’ve fought to help Cuban families separated by I-220A. I compiled evidence, looked then-Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in the eyes, twice, and asked for help through letters, calls, texts and emails. Still, nothing changed.
One executive order would’ve fixed this, yet, once again, when the Democrats had the chance to do the right thing, they didn’t.
When the Trump Administration inherited this crisis, I went to work. I used my unique understanding of these communities to spotlight the nuance. I went straight to Trump to voice my support for the Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela (CHNV) parole program and TPS beneficiaries, sent official letters, held meetings, and pushed the Department of Homeland Security to refrain from action until each case was heard. And when a young nursing student, Laura, was detained, I intervened and secured her release.
Fernandez and I share something deeply personal: both our families fled Fidel Castro’s tyranny.
That doesn’t just shape your politics; it brands your soul and creates a duty. It’s why I’ve spent my entire time in Congress fighting for those seeking the same freedom our families were blessed to find.
When someone who understands that legacy questions my commitment to immigrants, I take it personally. I don’t belong in any letter calling out inaction. I’ve been on the battlefield in Congress, willing to take the political risk and lead the charge.
I invite Fernandez to join me. Support my Dignity Act, amplify my voice. We have more in common than what divides us. We both believe in uplifting the oppressed. We both believe this country should be a beacon for those escaping cruelty. And we both know the cost of silence.
I’m not in this to score points. I’m here because I believe God has called me to serve. As long as I have breath and a platform, I will use my voice to speak for the voiceless and fight for our community.
Let’s move forward together.
Maria Elvira Salazar, a Miami Republican, represents Florida’s 27th Congressional District.
This story was originally published April 24, 2025 at 6:09 PM.
