Union group targets Cuban and Venezuelan voters in Little Havana against Rep. Salazar

UNITE HERE Local 355 organized a rally in Little Havana on Thursday to mobilize Cuban and Venezuelan voters against U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar. The hospitality union accused the Republican congresswoman of abandoning her immigrant and working-class constituents. The event took place four days before the midterm elections scheduled for Tuesday, November 3.

Salazar is competing for Florida's 27th congressional district against Eliott Rodriguez, a Democrat and former CBS Miami anchor. The district encompasses Miami, Coral Gables, Palmetto Bay, and Cutler Bay. Nearly three-quarters of the district's residents are Latino. The non-partisan Cook Political Report describes the race as competitive, a shift from its earlier classification as a safe Republican seat.

The timeline of Salazar's legislative record includes her vote last year with the majority of the Republican-led Congress to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. That legislation extended tax cuts from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that were set to expire and added new tax provisions. It increased funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement by ten times, making ICE the most funded federal law agency in the country. The bill also included historic cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP.

SNAP serves 17% of households in Salazar's district. Organizers at the rally pointed to these legislative votes alongside a rising cost of living that has made Miami one of the least affordable metropolitan areas in the nation. They also cited media reports on harsh conditions in South Florida immigration detention facilities. Recent policies have resulted in undocumented Cuban migrants being transported to third countries, including Africa, without due process.

Martha Cabrera, a resident of the district for 17 years and a former registered Republican, said she changed her registration to Non-Party Affiliated. "I have been living in District 27 for the past 17 years, and I was once registered as a Republican. Today, I feel betrayed and disappointed by Maria Elvira Salazar," Cabrera said. "She promised to help our immigrant community, but it’s all been lies. She supported giving $75 billion dollars to ICE to deport us and to commit crimes against us. She supported unjustly cutting the benefits of the elderly. I feel very disappointed, just like so many others who once gave her our vote."

Ana Sofia Pelaez, Executive Director of Miami Freedom Project, addressed the crowd regarding Salazar's alignment with President Donald Trump's agenda. "Salazar attempts to present herself as a compassionate advocate for immigrant communities, yet her legislative record tells a different story," Pelaez said. "No amount of performative lip service can erase her votes in Congress, which enabled the very immigration policies she only disavowed when her election was on the line."

Maikol Rodriguez, a Venezuelan worker and member of UNITE HERE Local 355, spoke about the fear immigrants face. "I come from a country where there is a lot of mistreatment, where there are many injustices," Rodriguez said. "I left for that reason, because of the dictatorship. I fled because I believe in defending what is just. I’m here to continue that fight here." He added that Latinos deserve respect and that it is not fair for so many people to live in fear in a free country.

Union leaders stated that they have knocked on more than 40,000 doors to target Cuban and Venezuelan households. Their campaign message is "Adios, Salazar!" Last month, Salazar aired a campaign ad criticizing Trump's immigration policies. In the ad, recorded in front of the White House, she declared that 50% of the 50,000 people detained in July had no criminal record. Salazar told viewers that Hispanics who helped Trump win in 2024 feel betrayed today and that she is advocating for a dignified life for them.

The next major step in the campaign is the election on Tuesday, November 3. Voters in the 27th district will choose between Salazar and Rodriguez. The union's door-knocking effort concluded with the rally in Little Havana. Salazar's campaign has focused on her break with Trump, while Rodriguez and his supporters emphasize her voting record on spending and immigration.