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‘Inhumane:' Latinas for Trump founder condemns White House immigration crackdown

‘Inhumane:' Latinas for Trump founder condemns White House immigration crackdown

Miami Herald7 hours ago

A Miami Republican who co-founded the group Latinas for Trump is condemning President Donald Trump's mass-deportation campaign and blasting recent immigration enforcement actions as harmful.
'This is not what we voted for,' State Sen. Ileana Garcia said in a statement on Saturday. 'I have always supported Trump, through thick and thin. However, this is unacceptable and inhumane.'
The public remarks from one of Trump's longtime supporters come as the president's immigration policies cause stress and uncertainty in South Florida. Trump's executive orders and the Department of Homeland Security's actions have targeted hundreds of thousands of immigrants in the region, including Cubans and Venezuelans — communities that threw their support behind Trump during the November election, helping him win Miami-Dade County.
As top White House aide Stephen Miller reportedly demands 3,000 immigration arrests a day, federal agents in Miami and across the U.S. are swooping into courthouses to detain people and place them in quick deportation proceedings that don't require a judge.
With Trump casting a wider immigration-enforcement net, Latino Republicans in South Florida are balancing their support for the White House and their constituents. Next week, Miami's GOP delegation in Washington is slated to meet with Trump's Homeland Security secretary.
READ MORE: ICE agents in Miami find new spot to carry out arrests: Immigration court
'I understand the importance of deporting criminal aliens, but what we are witnessing are arbitrary measures to hunt down people who are complying with their immigration hearings—in many cases, with credible fear of persecution claims—all driven by a Miller-like desire to satisfy a self-fabricated deportation goal. This undermines the sense of fairness and justice that the American people value,' said Garcia.
Garcia criticized Miller, widely considered the architect of Trump's immigration agenda. She said in the statement that her parents, Cuban refugees, 'are now just as American, if not more so than Stephen Miller.'
'I will not back down. I am committed to being vocal and proactive in seeking real solutions, not engaging in grandstanding like Stephen Miller,' she told the Miami Herald over text.
Garcia's statement came a day after GOP Rep. María Elvira Salazar — a strong Trump supporter whose district Garcia represents in Tallahassee — made her own public declarations about the federal immigration agenda. In a separate statement, Salazar said that people navigating their immigration cases, like pending asylum or green card petitions, deserved to 'go through the legal process.'
Salazar, who is Cuban-American, described herself a proud Republican and said that the administration must fulfill President Trump's promises to 'kick out every criminal here illegally.'
But she said the 'uncertainty' in her largely-Hispanic district had left her 'heartbroken' and said recent measures threatened due process.
'I will always stand with justice and with our community,' Salazar wrote on X.
Salazar said that the Miami delegation in Congress, which includes Reps. Carlos Giménez and Mario Díaz-Balart, will be meeting with Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem next week. The lawmakers have been requesting a meeting with Noem for weeks.
Garcia has supported Trump since his first bid for the office in 2016 and created Latinas for Trump to rally Hispanic women behind the president. She also served as a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security during Trump's first term in office.
On Saturday, Garcia said over text that she hoped to meet with the president, who she described as sympathetic to Cuban political refugees from Cuba and immigrants who came to the United States as children.
'While I stand by my support for him, I will call out harmful actions when necessary,' she said. 'And finally, this isn't about regrets; I have none. It's about addressing issues directly and taking responsibility.'

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4 Social Security changes Washington could make to prevent benefit cuts
4 Social Security changes Washington could make to prevent benefit cuts

USA Today

time33 minutes ago

  • USA Today

4 Social Security changes Washington could make to prevent benefit cuts

4 Social Security changes Washington could make to prevent benefit cuts Show Caption Hide Caption Biden criticizes Trump administration's handling of Social Security Social Security overhaul sparks criticism from Biden over service disruptions, layoffs and automation as Trump defends changes as efficiency. Straight Arrow News Social Security is an important source of income for millions of Americans, but the program has a serious financial problem. Costs have increased faster than revenues in recent years because the aging population is growing more quickly than the working population. As a result, the trust fund, the financial account that pays benefits, is on track to be depleted within a decade. Specifically, the Congressional Budget Office estimates the trust fund will be exhausted in 2034. That would eliminate one source of revenue (i.e., interest earned on trust fund reserves), and the remaining tax revenues would only cover 77% of scheduled payments. That means a 23% benefit cut would be necessary in 2035. Fortunately, the lawmakers in Washington have several years to find a better solution. Here are four Social Security changes that could prevent deep, across-the-board benefit cuts. 1. Apply the Social Security payroll tax to income above $400,000 Social Security is primarily funded by a dedicated payroll tax, which takes 6.2% of wages from workers and employers. But some income is exempt from the payroll tax. Specifically, the maximum taxable earnings limit is $176,100 in 2025. Income above that threshold is not taxed by Social Security. Importantly, the Social Security program is projected to run a $23 trillion deficit over the next 75 years as it's strained by shifting demographics. But the deficit could be slashed by applying the payroll tax to more income. For instance, including income above $400,000 would eliminate 60% of the 75-year funding shortfall, says the University of Maryland. 2. Gradually increase the Social Security payroll tax rate to 6.5% over six years Under current law, the Social Security payroll tax rate is 6.2% for workers and their employers. But gradually raising that figure would eliminate a portion of the long-term deficit. For example, increasing thetax rate by 0.05% annually over a six-year period would eliminate 15% of the 75-year funding shortfall, according to the University of Maryland. Now that I've discussed two possible changes, let's step back and look at the big picture. There are basically three ways to resolve Social Security's financial problems: (1) increase revenue, (2) reduce costs or (3) some combination of the first two options. The changes discussed so far would increase revenue, but the next two changes would cut benefits. However, they are more subtle cuts than the 23% across-the-board reduction that would follow trust fund depletion. 3. Gradually increase full retirement age to 68 by 2033 Workers are eligible for retirement benefits at age 62, but they are not entitled to their full benefit — also called the primary insurance amount (PIA) — until full retirement age (FRA). Anyone that claims before full retirement age receives a smaller payout, meaning they get less than 100% of their PIA. FRA is currently defined as 67 years old for workers born in 1960 or later, but raising the figure would reduce the long-term deficit. For instance, increasing FRA to 68 years old by 2033, meaning it would apply to workers born in 1965 or later, would eliminate 15% of the 75-year funding shortfall, according to the University of Maryland. 4. Reduce benefits for retired workers with income in the top 20% Social Security benefits are determined as percentages of two bend points. Specifically, income from the 35 highest-paid years of work is adjusted for inflation and converted to a monthly figure called the average indexed monthly earnings (AIME) amount. The AIME is then run through a formula that uses two bend points to determine the PIA for each worker. Modifying the second (highest) bend point would eliminate a portion of the long-term deficit by reducing benefits for high earners. For instance, the University of Maryland estimates that reducing benefits for individuals with income in the top 20% could reduce the 75-year funding deficit by 11%. Here's the big picture: The four changes I've discussed would eliminate 101% of Social Security's $23 trillion funding shortfall, which would prevent across-the-board benefit cuts in 2035. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook Offer from the Motley Fool: If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets"could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. One easy trick could pay you as much as $23,760 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. JoinStock Advisorto learn more about these strategies. View the "Social Security secrets" »

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