Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar released a surprising video Thursday breaking with President Donald Trump over his aggressive federal immigration crackdown.

“Mr. President, some of your immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far,” the South Florida Republican said, citing Immigration and Customs Enforcement data showing 50% of detainees in July had no criminal record.

“Be careful what your advisers are telling you about immigration policy,” she continued. “The same Hispanics that helped you get to the White House in 2024 feel betrayed today.”

The move is a shocking public rebellion from within the Republican Party — and in a solidly Trump district — on an issue the GOP has largely united behind. Salazar, whose district is 74% Hispanic, in late July said she believes the president’s mass deportation efforts are hurting Republicans’ relationship with Hispanic voters, saying he’s “playing with fire.”

“You can be for immigration what Lincoln was for slavery and Reagan was for communism,” she said in Thursday’s video. “I’m not talking about giving them amnesty. I’m talking about giving them a dignified life in this promised land.”

A spokesperson for the White House did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment. Salazar remains a staunch supporter of Trump, who has repeatedly endorsed her campaigns.

The congresswoman’s comments also come as lawmakers begin the homestretch of campaigning for November’s midterm elections. Recent polling has increasingly shown that Republicans will face a challenge to remain in the majority if they continue to strongly associate with Trump.

In July 2025, Salazar and Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) introduced an updated version of the Dignity Act in an effort to address the federal immigration system. The bill would enhance border security, mandate E-Verify and offer a path to legal status for undocumented immigrants who have been in the U.S. for more than five years with no criminal record.

The lawmaker was one of three Republicans in July who signed a discharge petition to force a House vote on the American Dream and Promise Act, a bill she co-sponsored that would give eligible Temporary Protected Status holders permanent status and would protect Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients.

Salazar’s video comes on the same day the Congressional Hispanic Caucus is set to hold a press conference with immigration policy group America’s Voice on what they describe as the “ICE Tax” — in other words, the human toll and economic damage caused by the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts.

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