Republican Rep. Maria Salazar of Florida is drawing attention after saying the United States needs migrants who are in the country illegally to help defend the nation. The remarks, reported Monday, quickly added fuel to an already heated immigration debate.
Salazar made the argument while appearing with Democrats to promote her "Dignidad" proposal. As described in the report, the measure would offer amnesty or legal status to at least 15 million people living in the US illegally, putting it at the center of a major policy fight over border security and legalization.
The comments stand out because Salazar is a Republican lawmaker making a case for a broad immigration plan that depends on support from across party lines. Her position also ties immigration policy to national defense, a framing that is likely to draw close scrutiny from both conservatives and immigration advocates.
The episode underscores how divided Washington remains on immigration. While Salazar is pushing a large-scale legalization approach through her Dignidad plan, the wider political battle over amnesty, enforcement and the role of illegal migrants in the US economy and society is far from settled.
