Trump’s Border Patrol Calls Out Republican

Former Border Patrol Chief Chris Clem is criticizing Republican Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida over a new campaign ad challenging President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement policies.

During a Saturday appearance on Newsmax’s The Count, Clem called Salazar’s advertisement “pandering” and said he hoped the strategy would “blow up in her face.”

The clash comes as immigration and border security remain major issues heading into the 2026 midterm elections, with Republicans debating how closely candidates should align themselves with the Trump administration’s enforcement policies.

Salazar Tells Trump Immigration Enforcement Has Gone ‘Too Far’

Salazar, a Republican representing Florida’s 27th Congressional District, released the campaign ad Thursday.

Speaking directly to Trump, Salazar said that “some of your immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far.”

She specifically pointed to immigration detention figures from July.

“In July, 50% of the 50,000 people that were detained had no criminal record,” Salazar said in the advertisement, according to the Florida Phoenix.

Salazar also warned Trump that some Hispanic voters who supported him in the 2024 election had become dissatisfied with his immigration policies.

At the same time, she emphasized that she was not advocating unrestricted amnesty.

Salazar has promoted the bipartisan Dignity Act, legislation that would create a legal-status process for certain undocumented immigrants who have been in the United States for more than five years and meet additional requirements.

Clem Fires Back at Salazar

Clem strongly disagreed with Salazar’s approach.

“Well, it was a terrible ad, and it is pandering,” Clem said during his Newsmax appearance.

The retired Border Patrol chief argued that Salazar was blurring the distinction between immigration generally and enforcement against people who have violated U.S. immigration law.

Trump’s immigration policies, Clem argued, are focused on people who are in violation of federal immigration laws.

He dismissed Salazar’s message as political “pandering” and said Republicans should continue emphasizing border enforcement.

“I hate losing slots in Congress, but my gosh, that was terrible,” Clem said.

His comments underscore a growing disagreement among Republicans over how the party should approach immigration enforcement heading into November.

Border Apprehensions Have Fallen Sharply

The political dispute comes as the Trump administration continues to highlight lower apprehension numbers along the southern border.

According to figures cited by the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, southwest border apprehensions have dropped dramatically compared with levels recorded during the previous administration.

Clem said the change demonstrates that tougher border policies can be sustained.

“We absolutely have seen that it can be sustained,” he said, adding that the federal government is “no longer tolerating catch and release.”

Clem described border security as an “enduring mission” and said officials should “continue to put the foot on the gas.”

The Trump administration has made tighter border enforcement, increased detention and expanded deportation efforts central parts of its immigration agenda.

Salazar Takes a Different Approach

Salazar has attempted to stake out a position that combines stronger border security with legal options for some undocumented immigrants already living in the country.

That position has occasionally placed her at odds with Republicans who favor a more enforcement-focused approach.

Her Dignity Act proposal would allow qualifying undocumented immigrants to work toward legal status while imposing requirements including employment, restitution payments and background checks. The proposal would not automatically provide U.S. citizenship or access to federal means-tested benefits.

Some conservatives have criticized the proposal as a form of amnesty, while Salazar rejects that characterization and says the legislation combines enforcement with immigration reform.

Immigration Debate Could Matter in Florida

The issue carries particular significance for Salazar because of the demographics of her South Florida district.

Florida’s 27th Congressional District is heavily Hispanic, and immigration policy has become an increasingly prominent issue in the race.

Salazar has represented the district since January 2021 after first winning election in 2020. She is running for another term against Democrat Eliot Rodriguez, a former television news anchor.

The Cook Political Report currently rates the race Likely Republican and lists the district with a Republican-leaning partisan voting index of R+6.

Cook shifted the contest from Solid Republican to Likely Republican in April as the political environment and candidate field changed.

Clem Says Republicans Should Stay Focused on Border Security

Asked about Republicans’ prospects of maintaining control of the House, Clem acknowledged that midterm elections can be difficult to predict.

“Midterms are always going to be, you know, tricky,” he said.

But when it comes to immigration, Clem’s position was clear: he believes Republicans should continue emphasizing the Trump administration’s border enforcement record rather than distancing themselves from it.

Salazar is taking a different approach, arguing that Republicans can support strong border security while questioning whether every aspect of the administration’s interior immigration enforcement strategy is appropriate.

That disagreement could become increasingly visible as congressional candidates across the country decide how to address immigration ahead of the November election.

For voters, the dispute highlights a larger policy debate within the Republican Party: whether the focus should remain primarily on aggressive enforcement or whether enforcement should be paired with expanded legal pathways for some undocumented immigrants already living in the United States.

With the midterm elections approaching, immigration and border security are likely to remain central issues in congressional races around the country.