Attorney Willy Allen Criticizes María Elvira Salazar's I-220A Bill as "An Insult"

Willy Allen, a Florida-based attorney, has openly criticized Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar for her recent announcement regarding a proposed bill aimed at granting legal status to Cubans holding I-220A. During an interview with CiberCuba, Allen expressed his strong disapproval, labeling the legislative proposal as "an insult" and advised the Republican representative to cease her "empty talk."

"I have publicly apologized for voting for her twice. María Elvira, who used to be my friend, is making statements that are a blatant disrespect to any thinking individual, and it insults me," Allen stated with visible frustration. He elaborated that the congresswoman is fully aware that what she is proposing is already covered under the Cuban Adjustment Act.

Allen further reminded that the law was initially pushed forward in 1966 by two Democratic congressmen from Miami, at a time when Cubans were not a significant voting force in Florida. It was also fortified in 1996 by Lincoln Díaz-Balart, incorporating it into the Cuban Democracy Act. "There's no need to introduce any new bill. The law already exists, and it's the Cuban Adjustment Act. This congresswoman is mocking us by claiming she will propose this law. She can't propose anything. It's disrespectful. She's just engaging in empty talk," the lawyer insisted.

He added, "If she truly wanted to make a difference, she would press her friend, the Secretary of DHS (Department of Homeland Security), to declare that the Cuban Adjustment Act applies to Cubans with I-220A, as they have been inspected and admitted."

Renowned Florida attorney Allen emphasized that the issue at hand is administrative. "Instead of engaging in empty talk about a new law, argue with your government that what should happen is the administrative application of what's already in place," he concluded.

These statements were made by Allen on Thursday during an interview with CiberCuba, where he discussed the implications of the Trump Administration's decision to halt the immigration processes for beneficiaries of humanitarian parole and family reunification currently underway. It's important to note that Trump canceled the parole shortly after taking office on January 22, 2025. However, this immigration mechanism, which allows entry into the United States for two years with a work permit, provided there is financial sponsorship, had been in jeopardy. The Biden Administration had suspended it in July 2024 due to detected irregularities, later resuming it in September 2024, but it never fully recovered. Ultimately, Trump eliminated it at the beginning of this year.