It can be said more loudly, but not more clearly. Republican Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar has called for time and a vote of confidence to address the immigration situation of the 550,000 Cubans who have entered the United States under the I-220A immigration status (order of release on parole). "We have four years to prove that Republicans can help those under I-220A," she said, visibly angry at the end of a video recorded in her office, where she outlines all the futile efforts she made during the Biden Administration.
In just over three minutes of recording, the Congresswoman responds to criticisms questioning whether she "did or did not" accomplish anything during the last legislative session regarding the I-220A. "Here’s a summary of what I did in the last two years and who the real responsible parties are," Salazar stated, referring to the Democrats.
According to his explanation, the first time he intervened on behalf of the I-220A was in 2023 when he met with the Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, in Miami. At that time, he adds, he did not understand what the I-220A was and had to ask his aides. Following that initial meeting, he asserts that there were three more meetings in his congressional office in Washington and several conversations over the phone.
"Here is an example of the dozens and dozens and dozens of texts," which Salazar claims to have exchanged with Mayorkas over the phone, "asking him to please address the I-220A," he pointed out while showing screenshots of those conversations.
Essentially, what she was asking the Secretary of Homeland Security was to "give a sweeping stroke" to the 550,000 Cubans with I-220A so that they could access "Parole in Place" or "Parole in Country." In her view, the previous Administration had the authority to ensure "that everyone who is already in the United States can obtain Parole and then apply for the Cuban Adjustment Act."
María Elvira Salazar argues that, in addition to having spoken with the Secretary of Homeland Security and sending dozens of messages, her team in Washington DC sent fifty emails to DHS (Department of Homeland Security) directed to Mayorkas's staff, reminding them of their power to grant "Parole in Place" to Cubans with I-220A so that they could benefit from the Cuban Adjustment Act.
Months went by, and it wasn't until the summer of 2024 that the congresswoman's office realized there was a "significant irregularity" occurring, as one family was being granted Parole for the father and an I-220A for the mother. "How is that possible? Mayorkas told me that was impossible, and I told him I would prove that it was happening," Salazar recalls.
To prove to the Secretary of Homeland Security that this was indeed happening, she asked her followers to send her their cases and received "more than 70,000 emails in the Miami office." The congresswoman asserts that she sent all that information to DHS. "We sent thousands and thousands of documented cases to Mayorkas's team where we specifically explained the situation of family separation because the Democrats claim they do not separate families," she emphasized.
"In October and November of 2024, before the elections, they ignored us, and I asked Mayorkas again to grant 'Parole in Place' to Cubans. The Democrats and the Biden Administration could have perfectly resolved this issue because they were the ones who started providing Cubans with something called the I-220A, which I don't quite understand why it happened. Cubans are the only group in this country that has the possibility (to become citizens) because they have something called the Cuban Adjustment Act. They can take advantage of it and become U.S. citizens. The Democrats had the opportunity in their hands. Let's wait for these four years with President Trump. We have four more years to prove that Republicans can help those with the I-220A," he concluded, not without throwing a pointed jab: "If you have any other comments, send them to me, and if you could have done something more, then let me know so I can do it."
His final statement seems directed at individuals like Florida attorney Willy Allen, an expert in Immigration, who lashed out last week against María Elvira Salazar considering that the bill she wants to bring to Congress to grant legal status to I-220A is "an insult" because that is already covered under the Cuban Adjustment Act and, in his opinion, the only thing to do is to apply that existing regulation to the I-220A.
Following that interview granted to CiberCuba, many took the opportunity to ride the wave and criticize the congresswoman, who now reminds everyone that the legislature lasts four years and that Trump has only been in office for one month.
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