GEOFF BENNETT: Within days of taking office, President Trump launched an aggressive crackdown down on illegal and legal immigration.

It has featured high-profile raids, some controversial deportations, and a showdown with the courts.

I spoke earlier with Florida Republican Congresswoman Maria Salazar, who has introduced a bill in the House aimed at addressing immigration reform.

Miami-Dade County, which you represent, has the highest share of immigrants in the country.

President Trump's move to revoke deportation protections from hundreds of thousands of legal migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela, how is that affecting your constituents?

REP. MARIA SALAZAR (R-FL): Well, I agree with what you're saying.

We have a lot of people who come from other parts of the world.

And I am very happy that right now the TPS program and the people who came in through the 220-I and different forms of immigration procedures are continuing.

We are giving protection to the Venezuelans through the TPS because their courts came in and they indicated to the Trump administration that they needed to have some due process of law.

So that is the beauty of democracy.

Sometimes, the legislative -- the judicial system talks to the legislative and talks to the executive.

And things -- but in this hour and for what concerns my community, we are happy that the TPS people are protected, basically Venezuelans.

GEOFF BENNETT: Well, what do you think the administration misunderstands about immigration patterns in South Florida, especially given the instability in Latin America that continues to drive migration?

REP. MARIA SALAZAR: Look, this is a very big conversation, and I think you're right on point.

The problem here is this.

The last four years, the Biden administration opened the border.

Ten million people came in.

The Trump administration is trying to fill those potholes left by Biden.

I am not saying that we had -- what I am trying to say is that this is a very complicated topic And that's why you're having me here on your news station, because I am the only Republican on the floor that is putting together a bill called the dignity act, which is going to try to fix immigration from legal to illegal once and for all, something that has not been addressed for the last 40 years.

GEOFF BENNETT: You are the only House Republican with a bill on the floor.

Why?

What's stopping Republicans from moving forward on a legislative solution?

President Trump controls Washington.

Republicans control both chambers and immigration is a top priority.

REP. MARIA SALAZAR: I'm going to tell you why, because we had the issue four years ago with the border.

And then now we need to put some order at the border, which he has without passing any laws.

It was just a new sheriff in town.

So the border is sealed.

We don't have any more illegals or any more -- that much fentanyl or arms crossing our border in this disarray that we had four years ago.

So now that the border is sealed, we are going to start that national conversation.

And yours truly is going to welcome that national conversation and saying, OK, the border is sealed.

Now what are we going to do with those people who have been here for more than five years, have American kids, are paying taxes, have been contributing to the economy, people that are not criminals?

It's true that they are illegals.

Of course they are illegals, but someone gave them a job.

It's true that illegals, but we're Christians.

It's true they're illegal, but they have been helping the economy for 20 years.

So let's be realistic, guys.

Let's do something with them.

Let's give them dignity.

And that's all I'm saying.

This is a one-shot deal, because,remember, 40 years ago with Reagan, Reagan was the last guy who gave some type of legality to the group of people who were also illegals.

He gave them legality, and -- but then what happened?

The border was not sealed.

And then we had the catch-and-release, and we had all these problems that we as a serious nation should not be having, because you know that the asylum system is broken.

People are gaming the system.

So it's a lot of parts in this puzzle that I'm sure you understand that we need to put an end, and that's why my Dignity Act will do that.

GEOFF BENNETT: Republicans sank the compromise bill, which was the Republican Senate bill at the end of 2024, largely because President Trump, who was then a candidate at the time, said he wanted to be able to run on the issue, the problem of immigration.

And there was money in that bill that called for the hiring of more immigration judges, which would have sped up the deportation process.

What's different between now and then?

REP. MARIA SALAZAR: Well, it was too little too late.

It -- that bill did not address the whole issue.

It was -- you cannot fix such a monumental problem with just one little bill.

Let me see what I can put together in order to fix the problem at the time.

Everyone has good intentions and noble intentions, but this is such a monumental problem of biblical proportions that we need to have thought it out well and then start from illegal immigration to legal, seal the border.

And that's what I think I'm doing.

I am incorporating some of those aspects and provisions of that bill that you're talking about.

The thing is that, if we want to continue growing as the number one economy in the world, if we want to continue being the beacon of hope and the bastion of human rights and civil rights, we need to pay attention to those human beings who have been here.

Yes, they're illegal, I got it.

Been here.

We have let them stay for 20 years.

What are we going to do with them?

Now is the time to start that conversation.

GEOFF BENNETT: When you talk about being a beacon of civil rights and human rights, the Trump administration, in its push toward mass deportations, in many cases is deporting people without due process.

And due process, as you well know, is a bedrock constitutional protection.

Why hasn't there been more pushback from Republicans on that matter in particular?

REP. MARIA SALAZAR: Well, I am sending message.

I spoke with the leadership of Department of Homeland Security.

I have been talking to the powers that be, including the White House.

And I have been saying that this is a country of laws, that I understand that sometimes the righteous pay for the sinners, but not in the United States.

And I am saying, be careful, because we do need to follow the law and give due process.

And I am very happy that some judges, not others, because some other judges are legislating from the bench, are saying, we need to follow due process.

But that is why I am introducing legislation.

That's exactly what I am doing.

We're doing the -- I am doing the job that people in District 27 send me to do, write a law that will solve a problem.

And that's what I am doing.

And may the lord help me.

And I am sure that President Trump, who is a very smart -- and who knows how to put deals together, will pay attention to the Dignity Act.

GEOFF BENNETT: When you advise the White House to follow the law, as you say, what's the response that you get?

REP. MARIA SALAZAR: Of course, they got -- they are OK with that.

And they are -- and they have been very receptive when I have gone to them with specific cases that -- where the due process has not been followed.

So it's not that the White House has this desire just to not pay attention to what the system and what the American way of life or the American system calls for.

No, they are being receptive when I have called upon them.

GEOFF BENNETT: At the moment, polls show President Trump underwater on his handling of immigration.

A new PBS News/NPR/Marist poll finds an overall 52 percent disapproval, and among Latinos in particular a 59 percent disapproval.

Does that give you more leverage, more opportunity to push for the changes that you want to see in the administration's approach?

REP. MARIA SALAZAR: I think that's a fantastic question.

And I am definitely going to -- there are polls and polls and polls and polls.

There are polls for everything.

But I do know that the Hispanic community would love to see this administration to solve the problem.

I have said it to the White House clearly.

Trump could be for immigration what Reagan was for Russia, period.

There's no other president that has been sitting in the Oval Office in the last 40 years can solve such a monumental mess that has been just left for the next administration, starting with Reagan.

We're talking about 40 years.

Trump is the only guy who can do it.

GEOFF BENNETT: Congresswoman Maria Salazar, thanks again for your time this evening.

We appreciate it.

REP. MARIA SALAZAR: My pleasure, and thank you very much.