Maria Elvira Salazar has directly challenged U.S. President Donald Trump over immigration enforcement in her first general-election campaign advertisement, warning that some of his policies have gone too far.
The Florida Republican’s campaign released the video on September 17, 2026, with Salazar speaking outside the White House in Washington, D.C.
“Mr. President, some of your immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far,” Salazar says in the advertisement.
She also tells Trump that Hispanic voters who helped him win the White House in 2024 “feel betrayed today.”
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What Maria Elvira Salazar said in the ad
The advertisement is framed as a direct message to Trump rather than a general campaign speech about immigration.
Salazar warns the president to be cautious about the advice he receives on immigration policy and argues that the administration’s enforcement approach could damage Republican support among Hispanic voters.
The campaign said the advertisement would run across broadcast television, digital platforms and over-the-top streaming services in South Florida.
It described the video as the first of several advertisements planned before the November election.
The decision places Salazar in a politically difficult position because she remains a Republican representing Florida’s 27th Congressional District, a Miami-Dade seat where immigration is a central issue for many families.
Why the message matters in South Florida
Salazar’s district includes a large Hispanic population and has strong ties to Cuban-American and other Latin American communities.
Her criticism focuses less on rejecting border enforcement altogether and more on how immigration arrests and deportation policies are being carried out.
That distinction is important because Salazar has continued to present herself as a supporter of tougher border security while also advocating changes for some undocumented immigrants already living in the United States.
Her campaign identifies the bipartisan Dignity Act as a major part of her immigration record.
The proposal would combine stronger border enforcement with a legal framework for certain undocumented immigrants who meet specified requirements, according to the campaign’s description.
By criticizing Trump’s enforcement strategy while maintaining support for enforcement and reform, Salazar is attempting to define a position between the administration’s approach and calls for broader immigration changes.
Salazar’s political calculation
The advertisement comes during the 2026 congressional election cycle, when immigration policy remains a major dividing line inside the Republican Party.
Salazar’s message may appeal to voters who support legal immigration and border security but object to enforcement actions affecting people without criminal records or long-standing ties to the United States.
At the same time, the criticism risks angering Republican voters who view aggressive deportation efforts as a central part of Trump’s agenda.
The campaign’s decision to record the video outside the White House gives the message an unmistakable national focus.
Rather than presenting the issue as a local dispute, Salazar is asking voters to see her as a Republican willing to advise the president publicly on a policy affecting her district and the broader party.
The move also reflects the electoral importance of Hispanic voters in South Florida, where immigration policy can carry both personal and political consequences.
What happens next
Salazar’s campaign says additional advertisements are planned ahead of the November vote.
Those future messages may show whether the immigration criticism becomes the central theme of her campaign or remains one part of a broader argument about South Florida priorities.
Her congressional office has continued to highlight district funding, national security and legislation on issues including immigration and tax policy.
On September 15, 2026, the office said Salazar led a House hearing focused on Nicaragua and national security.
The following day, her office announced more than $2.4 million in federal funding for flood protection and coastal resilience projects in Key Biscayne.
Those local and foreign-policy issues could compete with immigration for attention as the campaign develops.
For now, the advertisement marks a clear public warning from a Republican member of Congress to a president who remains the dominant figure in the party.
What the ad does not mean
Salazar’s criticism does not amount to a complete break with Trump or the Republican Party.
Her campaign continues to identify her as a Republican candidate and presents the advertisement as an effort to influence the administration’s approach rather than abandon the party’s broader immigration priorities.
The message is therefore best understood as a policy challenge from within the Republican coalition.
Whether it changes the administration’s approach or affects the Florida race will depend on how voters, Republican activists and Hispanic communities respond in the weeks ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Maria Elvira Salazar say about Donald Trump’s immigration policy?
She said some of Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts had gone too far and warned that Hispanic voters who supported him in 2024 feel betrayed.
When did Maria Elvira Salazar release the advertisement?
Her campaign released the first general-election advertisement on September 17, 2026.
Where does Maria Elvira Salazar serve in Congress?
She represents Florida’s 27th Congressional District, which includes part of Miami-Dade County.
Does Salazar oppose all immigration enforcement?
No. Her campaign presents her as supporting stronger border enforcement while also advocating immigration reform for certain undocumented immigrants.
What is the Dignity Act associated with Salazar?
The Dignity Act is a bipartisan immigration proposal that seeks to strengthen border enforcement while creating a legal framework for some undocumented immigrants already in the United States.
Fact-Checked: Key dates, quotations, campaign claims and congressional activities were checked against Salazar’s official campaign and congressional office information.
Disclaimer: Political campaign statements reflect the positions of the campaign and should not be treated as independent assessments of immigration policy.