Background on Key Figures and Context
Antonio Gonzales Jr., a 66-year-old retired naval surgeon and Mexican-American from Porterville, California, is one of many Latino voters who supported Donald Trump in the November elections. Gonzales, who proudly displays an American flag outside his home, voted for Trump despite concerns about the economy and immigration policies.
Trump received 46% of the Latino vote in November’s elections, a significant increase from 2020 according to Edison Research’s exit polls. This support was crucial in helping Trump secure victory, but his approval rating among Latino voters has since dropped 3 percentage points to 34%, as reported by a Reuters/Ipsos survey. This decline is largely attributed to worries about the economy and Trump’s aggressive stance on immigration.
Latino Support and Policy Concerns
While Trump’s approval rating among Latino voters has fallen, he still outperformed any Republican presidential candidate since the 1970s according to American Enterprise Institute’s data compilation. However, cracks are beginning to show in Trump’s support base.
- Economic Concerns: Gonzales, a naval veteran, supports stricter border controls but expresses reservations about indiscriminate deportations without judicial review.
- Policy Focus: Caleb Gonzales, a 49-year-old school counselor in San Antonio, Texas, notes that Trump’s initial focus on crime and immigration requires adjustments. He sees a trial-and-error approach to resolving issues.
- Demographic Shifts: Approximately 65 million Americans identify as Latino, tracing their origins to Spanish-language countries like Mexico and Puerto Rico. Clarissa Martínez de Castro, head of the nonpartisan civil rights organization UniDos’ Voting Rights Initiative, points out that economic dissatisfaction is a key factor driving Latino voters away from traditional party lines.
Immigration Policies and Support
Trump’s immigration policies remain a significant concern for Latino voters. While nearly 8 out of 10 Latino voters support deporting dangerous criminals, they oppose targeting undocumented immigrants with long-term residency and no criminal history, according to a bipartisan survey by an unnamed organization.
Harrison Fields, the Principal Deputy Press Secretary for the White House, asserts that Trump earned historic support from Latino Americans who trust him to eliminate barriers to achieving the American dream. However, Trump’s migration policy approval rating among Latino voters has dropped 4 percentage points to 32%, while remaining stable at 54% among white respondents.
The Reuters/Ipsos survey found that 42% of Latino voters supported increased deportation of illegal immigrants, a notable figure though lower than the 63% support among white respondents.
Norma Pérez, a 56-year-old Hispanic independent voter who supported Kamala Harris in November, endorses Trump’s goals of reducing government size and deporting criminals residing illegally in the country. She emphasizes that even those subject to deportation should receive due process.
