Donald Trump and the Republicans have missed a unique opportunity: to increase Latino support for their party.
Yes, with the historic surge among Latinos for Trump, it was time to consolidate a segment of the population that is on the rise and typically votes Democratic. Well, Trump and the Republicans missed it. The lack of economic improvement in their lives, job security, and a friendlier immigration policy have alienated Latinos from the Republican platform and from Trump.
If we add to that Trump’s obsession with Mexico, we can understand the policy of fear and apprehension he applies daily.
The first 100 days of the Trump administration eroded the support the Republicans received from Latino voters in the November 5 elections, which was decisive in his return to the White House.
Trump obtained 46% of the Hispanic vote in the presidential election, 14 points more than in 2020, according to the Edison Research survey. Now, 59% disapprove of his performance, compared to only 37% who approve, according to the recently published survey by the Latino organizations UnidosUS, Voces Unidas, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and Climate Power en Acción in collaboration with BSP Research and Sean Company Research, for which 1,002 Latino voters were interviewed.
The two main factors that determined the votes of millions of Latinos — the economy and immigration — are responsible for the decline in support. Only 16% support the deportation of all undocumented immigrants, one of the Trump administration’s main objectives, and more than half (54%) believe the state of the economy has worsened.
The avalanche of anti-immigration measures approved by the administration is impacting the Latino community, which is the hardest-hit by policies that are eliminating the legal residency status of four million people, withdrawing benefits from undocumented immigrants, and is the target of the campaign to achieve the largest deportation of migrants in the country’s history.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in predominantly Latino neighborhoods, along with arrests and deportations carried out without trial, have spread fear throughout the community. According to the survey, 43% of respondents believe Latinos, including those who are U.S. citizens, are afraid of being detained.
