WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Hispanic voters make up one of the nation’s fastest growing voter blocs, and both former president Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are zeroing in to win their support.
Wednesday night, Trump took questions from Latino voters in a Univision town hall. During the televised event, Trump hammered home his message to tackle high prices, reduce crime and deport undocumented immigrants.
Trump, who is campaigning to deport millions in the country illegally, did not provide details of a specific plan.
Jorge Velazquez, a 64-year-old California farmer, asked Trump how he plans to replace jobs of farm workers who would be deported under his plan and keep the price food low. Trump responded by stating millions coming into the country are arriving from jails adding, “We want workers, but they have to come legally.”
It’s unclear how Trump’s immigration policy will land in some immigrant communities.
Diana Robinson, Co-Deputy Director with Make the Road PA, a Pennsylvania grass roots organization focused on empowering the state’s fast growing Hispanic population, says Trump’s immigration rhetoric is “extreme” to some.
“Our membership is mixed where we have, U.S. citizens, undocumented folks, U.S. residents, and a lot of our members and family members like myself, my family has mixed status folks,” says Robinson. “And so, I think that doesn’t resonate with communities.”
Robinson says both candidates have work to do in Pennsylvania, where roughly 600,000 Hispanic voters could swing the election.
“People are struggling our minimum wage is like $7.25,” she says. “There are a lot of issues and different issues resonate with different folks within the Latino community.”
Rep Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.) says in communities like his, where Hispanic voters make up 70% of the population, Trump is gaining support.
“And it’s not all Cuban Americans. There’s a bunch of Colombian and Venezuelans and Nicaraguans and Salvadorians and all that,” said Gimenez.
Trump lost Gimenez’s district to Hilary Clinton by 16 points in 2016 but won in 2020 by five points. Gimenez says he expects the trend to continue across the country.
“I’ve always felt that the GOP is always the natural home for Hispanics because we share the same values,” says Gimenez.
