Rep. María Elvira Salazar called on March 31 for the Department of Homeland Security to restart citizenship processing and naturalization ceremonies for Cuban and Venezuelan applicants, while maintaining enhanced security vetting measures.
Salazar said this action is important because many lawful permanent residents from Cuba and Venezuela are facing delays in their path to citizenship due to administrative holds. She outlined three requests in her letter: resuming immigration benefit and naturalization processing, keeping strengthened security screening, and immediately restarting halted naturalization ceremonies.
“These are individuals who fled persecution and violence, followed the law, and have already been thoroughly vetted,” Salazar said. “They have earned the right to become citizens, and we can uphold strong security measures without delaying that process. With our nation’s 250th anniversary approaching, there is no better way to honor our founding than by welcoming new citizens and allowing them to take the oath that makes them Americans.”
According to Salazar, tens of thousands of applicants in South Florida—many of them Cuban or Venezuelan—are currently unable to complete their path to citizenship or participate in naturalization ceremonies. She noted that Miami typically hosts dozens of these ceremonies each year, calling it an important tradition for the community.
The background provided states that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued guidance in December 2025 placing a hold on final adjudications for certain pending immigration benefit applications from nationals of designated “high-risk” countries such as Cuba and Venezuela as part of a review of vetting procedures. This has led to slowed processing times in high-volume regions like South Florida.
Salazar has advocated for Cubans and Venezuelans fleeing oppressive regimes throughout her time representing Florida’s 27th Congressional District.
