OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Former President Donald Trump has vowed to take extreme actions to secure the U.S.-Mexico border if he wins November’s presidential election.
And that promise is supported by a key voting bloc — Latinos.
The most recent Axios-Ipsos Latino Poll shows that the percentage of Latinos who support erecting a border wall and deporting all undocumented immigrants has increased by at least 10 points since 2021.
According to the research, even among those who might have connections to immigration, Trump’s calls for increased border security and possibly his anti-immigrant rhetoric are having an impact.
The results also illuminate Republicans’ recent gains among Latinos and reflect the frustration that has elevated illegal immigration to the top issue for many Americans during election season.
If Trump wins back the presidency, he has vowed to increase border security and organize mass deportations, which he claims could include a million people.
President Joe Biden now claims he would be prepared to “close the border” in the event of spikes in the number of border crossers, following a political setback over border security.
Axios reported on the findings:
42% of Latino adults surveyed said they support building a wall or fence along the entire U.S.–Mexico border. That’s a 12-point jump from December 2021.
38% support sending all undocumented immigrants in the U.S. back to their country of origin — up from 28% in 2021.
In addition, 64% of Latinos said they support giving the president the authority to shut U.S. borders if there are too many immigrants trying to enter the country. It was the first time the survey asked this question.
Support for building a wall was strongest among Cuban Americans (58%), who generally are more conservative than many other Latinos and have benefited from decades of Cold War-era “special treatment” on immigration.
Support for the border wall is lowest among Mexican immigrants and Mexican Americans (37%). Only 43% of Central Americans support the wall.
According to the survey, after inflation and crime, Latinos’ top concerns in this election year are immigration and crime.
Even though the percentage of Latinos who believe that anyone in the country illegally should be deported is on the rise, a sizable majority (65%) still prefer to offer them a path to citizenship.
A massive 59% are in favor of granting asylum to refugees who are escaping crime and violence in Latin America in the United States.
Ipsos pollster and senior vice president Chris Jackson told Axios that the poll “illustrates that some immigration hardline positions (are) incrementally more popular” among Latinos.
Earlier this week, a report revealed that a new name has emerged as a favorite among the remaining potential running mates for Trump.
In recent weeks, figures like South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott have been mentioned as potential finalists, though Trump is reportedly “disappointed” in Noem following her admission in an upcoming book that she killed a young dog of hers because it was attacking livestock on her family’s ranch.
“Now, reports have emerged that Trump may be eyeing North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) as a possible vice-presidential pick. Burgum has emerged before in the swirling conversations about who would pack the most punch on a 2024 Trump ticket, but now, as the general election creeps closer, his name has generated a lot of media buzz,” Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN) reported.
Sources told Axios that Burgum is moving up the list after Trump and former first lady Melania Trump hosted Burgum and his wife at Mar-a-Lago for an Easter brunch. They also said that Trump has been mentioning Burgum a lot more in recent weeks to advisers.
“Two sources familiar with Trump’s thinking said he likes Burgum’s measured demeanor and his gubernatorial experience — and sees Burgum as reliable and low-drama,” Axios, which first reported the story, noted. “Those are similar to the traits Trump cited in 2016, when he tapped Mike Pence to be his running mate. At the time, Pence was Indiana’s governor.”
🚨Report: North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum is moving up Trump’s VP ladder. Trump likes his measured demeanor and his experience as Governor. Trump sees Burgum as reliable and low-drama. Trump’s team believes he would be a safe choice who could attract moderate voters.
Via Axios pic.twitter.com/dzQCHpEBcG
— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) April 28, 2024
Gov. Doug Burgum: “Joe Biden’s weakness is what’s brought this all on … If President Trump was in office right now, and we were leading through strength abroad, we would not be seeing this on our campuses today.” pic.twitter.com/dvftMn0KdR
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) April 29, 2024
