OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
A majority of U.S. Hispanic voters give former President Donald Trump the green light of approval when it came to his strict immigration and border enforcement policies.
In particular, according to a newly released survey, Hispanics supported Trump’s Title 42 policy that allowed for the immediate return of illegal migrants back across the border to Mexico.
The Axios-Ipsos poll released Thursday found that 51 percent of Hispanic Americans support keeping Title 42 in place. On the other hand, 44 percent are opposed to the policy.
“I think because it’s a COVID mitigation thing, we do see sort of higher support for it, than if it were just sort of a pure immigration concern,” Ipsos pollster and senior vice president Chris Jackson told Axios, adding that he was “surprised” that most Hispanics supported Title 42.
Breitbart News adds:
These poll numbers come as President Joe Biden’s administration is in a legal dispute over the pandemic-era immigration policy. After Biden announced the program would end in May, 21 states sued the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), alleging Biden unlawfully terminated the program.
A federal judge ordered Biden to keep Title 42 in place as a result of the lawsuit.
A majority of Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Cuban Americans support keeping Title 42 in place, according to the poll. However, just 41 percent of Central Americans support the policy.
The poll also found that 58 percent of second-generation Hispanics and 59 percent of third-generation Hispanics support the policy.
Axios also noted that the Democratic Party continues to hemorrhage support to Republicans.
“Twenty-nine percent of Latino Americans say they would vote for a Democratic candidate if the midterm elections were held today, compared to just 17% who say they would vote for a Republican candidate. While this lead is substantial, it represents a 4-point decline from December,” the report noted.
On Biden’s first day in office, he signed a series of executive orders that overturned Trump’s stricter border and immigration enforcement policies. Since then, the country has experienced historically high numbers of illegal migrant encounters and drug smuggling.
That likely contributed to the election victory of a Republican in a south Texas district for the first time in 150 years.
Rep. Mayra Flores achieved the milestone victory late last month when she defeated Rep. Dan Sanchez in the special election for Texas’ 34th Congressional District.
The Daily Wire notes: “The seat was previously held by Rep. Filemon Vela (D) who stepped down earlier this year to become a lobbyist as all signs pointed to a brutal upcoming midterm election season for Democrats.”
Flores became “the first GOP candidate to represent that area of the Rio Grande Valley since 1870,” the Houston Chronicle reported, adding that she is now “the first congresswoman born in Mexico.”
“The region has been devastated by Democrat President Joe Biden’s border crisis, something that has turned off many Hispanic voters that typically have voted for Democrats in the past,” The Daily Wire added.
“In her victory tonight, Republican @MayraFlores2022 flipped 85% Hispanic Cameron County in Texas. Hillary Clinton won Cameron by 33 points in 2016 and Biden won it by 13. The Hispanic shift to the GOP is the most important story in American politics today,” added PR specialist Giancarlo Sopo on June 14.
🚨BREAKING🚨 In her victory tonight, Republican @MayraFlores2022 flipped 85% Hispanic Cameron County in Texas.
Hillary Clinton won Cameron by 33 points in 2016 and Biden won it by 13.
The Hispanic shift to the GOP is the most important story in American politics today. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/AKkoNAO0yd
— Giancarlo Sopo (@GiancarloSopo) June 15, 2022
MSNBC columnist Eric Michael Garcia sounded a panicked alarm regarding the election’s results, saying that Democrats needed to be doing the same thing, and quickly.
“There is a political earthquake happening in Latino politics in South Texas and there is a reason I have been saying it will be voting like West Virginia,” he tweeted. “But like @SeanTrende , I expected this in two decades. #TX34. This should be a five alarm fire for Democrats.”
There is a political earthquake happening in Latino politics in South Texas and there is a reason I have been saying it will be voting like West Virginia. But like @SeanTrende, I expected this in two decades. #TX34. This should be a five alarm fire for Democrats. https://t.co/hSNO6EilMJ
— Eric Michael Garcia (@EricMGarcia) June 15, 2022
“Republicans have been eager to flip the seat as part of their new offensive in South Texas after Biden’s underperformance throughout the predominantly Hispanic region in the 2020 election. Flores and her allies spent over $1 million on TV ads in the special election,” the Texas Tribune reported.
“The dynamic put Democrats into an unusual underdog position in a region of the state they have long dominated. Vastly outspent by Flores, Sanchez repeatedly compared the special election to a David vs. Goliath fight, with himself playing David,” the outlet continued.
