Even though more Hispanic voters swung for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election than in either of his previous runs for office, his immigration policies remain largely unfavorable among U.S. Hispanics.
Juan Proano
“The latest poll underscores a harsh reality: Nearly two-thirds of Latino voters believe the country is heading in the wrong direction, with 70% of them holding President Trump responsible,” said Juan Proaño, CEO of the League of United Latin American Citizens. “Latinos, once seen as a battleground demographic, have become disillusioned, with many shifting their support toward Trump only to face broken promises.”
A new study by UnidosUS, Voces Unidas, the League of United Latin American and Climate Power en Acción found 63% of registered Latino voters hold unfavorable views of the president, and 59% disapprove of the job he has done so far in office. Majorities also disapprove of Elon Musk (61%) and the Department of Government Efficiency (52%).
Leading concerns for Hispanic voters are related to the economy, including inflation and the cost of living (52%), wages and jobs (42%), rising rents and utilities (29%) and the cost of prescriptions and health insurance (23%), the study found. Immigration issues followed at 21%.
U.S. Hispanics continue to express strong support for providing legal residency for Dreamers and other long-residing unauthorized immigrants in addition to fighting drug and human trafficking.
According to the poll administered by BSP Research and Shaw & Co., 78% agree it is important to deport dangerous criminals, but 60% disapprove of the administration’s ongoing practice of deporting undocumented immigrants without court hearings. Two-thirds of Hispanic voters also believe the administration is violating the rule of law and the U.S. Constitution.
“Nearly half (49%) of Latino voters feel that the Trump administration’s deportation policies put them, their family and/or friends at risk,” the study found. “As for recent immigration policies and actions, 43% think many people fear immigration authorities will arrest them even if they’re U.S. citizens or have legal status.”
In Texas, the bipartisan survey found similarly critical views of Trump’s economic and immigration policies, with 66% expressing unfavorable views of the president and 64% saying the administration is responsible for taking the country in the wrong direction. Just 10% agree with Trump’s stated plan to deport all undocumented immigrants, while 56% support pathways to citizenship for Dreamers and other long-time residents of the U.S.
Meanwhile, the Center for Migration Studies of New York, the Center for Economic Security and the Brookings Institution recently issued a briefing on the estimated effects of deportation on children, families and taxpayers.
“The Trump administration has begun to carry out activities connected to its campaign promise of a nationwide mass deportation program for undocumented immigrants. What will this mean for the estimated 5.62 million U.S. citizen children with an undocumented household member, and for the state and local child welfare systems charged with protecting their safety and well-being?”
The analysis predicts 3.8% of U.S. citizen children, or 2.7 million, face the possibility of being left parentless in the home due to mass deportation, while a further estimated 5.62 million U.S. citizen children residing with an undocumented household member could be affected.
“Even with a conservative estimate of 10% of the children at risk of being separated from their parents, and only one-quarter of those being without a relative willing to take them in, we estimate that about 66,000 children would enter the foster care system, at an annual cost to taxpayers exceeding $400 million. This influx would also add about 18% to the number of children in foster care.”
While a majority of Latino voters supported Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, Trump made significant inroads. Voter surveys from the Associated Press show Trump won 43% of the overall Latino vote, an eight-point increase from 2020.
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