It’s not a lot but it’s something. The world isn’t completely mad
I never understood why Latino voters didn’t see the threat, but the desire to not see something terrible you don’t want to see is strong and a lot of people will do anything to avoid it. Well, that’s come back to bite all of us and Latinos are starting to react. Dan Pfeiffer writes:
Perhaps the defining issue of Trump’s first few months back in office has been his aggressive, unconstitutional, and extra-legal campaign of mass deportation. The stories of people who disappeared into the Salvadoran torture prison like Kilmar Abrego Garcia and Andry Hernández Romero have resonated across the political spectrum.
Trump ran on an anti-immigration platform and the issue of border security helped him with voters, but on the stump, Trump emphasized criminals, violent gang members, and recent arrivals when talking about his deportation plans. Now that everyone is a target and rights are being violated, polls question how the Latino voters feel about his efforts. Trump’s gains with Latinos powered his election win and pose the largest long-term threat to the Democratic Party. If Republicans hold onto this share of the fastest growing part of the electorate, Democrats are in real trouble.
Well, a new poll by Equis Research and Data for Progress, first reported on by The Bulwark, shows substantial erosion with Latino voters. The poll demonstrated:
66 percent of Latino voters believe Trump’s deportation actions “are going too far and targeting the types of immigrants who strengthen our nation.”
Critically, that figure included 36 percent of Latinos who voted for Trump in 2024.
A sizable minority of respondents—29 percent—view Trump’s actions as “good and fair,” agreeing with the statement “if some people who are not criminals suffer because of it, it’s the price to pay to ensure our safety.”
And the most interesting data point: Among voters who backed Joe Biden in 2020 but moved to Trump last year—the category Equis calls “Biden defectors”—64 percent said Trump has gone too far on mass deportation.
Now, Latino voters are not flocking to the Democrats. We have a lot of work to do to earn their trust, but Latino voters souring on Trump is a positive sign.
I have a feeling they won’t be making that mistake again. The treatment of immigrants is so overwhelmingly grotesque that anyone with a Hispanic surname has to be worried.