Many Latino voters are feeling anxious, frustrated, and even fearful about where the country is headed. More and more of them are putting the blame on President Donald J. Trump. According to new polls from the left-leaning Somos Votantes and Global Strategy Group, Trump’s support among Hispanic and Latino voters has dropped sharply in the past seven months.
The biggest factor behind the shift is the economy. Many voters say their priorities don’t align with what Trump and congressional Republicans are focusing on. A survey by the same groups found that 56 percent of Latino voters believe the economy has gotten worse since Trump began his second term in January.
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Jobs and the cost of living are top of mind, and voters aren’t happy with how things are going. Sixty-four percent described the economy as poor, and nearly a 32% called it “very poor,” up from 28 percent in February. Inflation, job insecurity, healthcare access, and rising costs continue to weigh heavily on Latino families, with many saying those problems have only deepened under Trump.
Trump won his second term with strong backing from conservative Latino voters, many drawn to his tough stance on immigration. But that support is starting to show cracks. Some still believe in his message about law and order, while others think his focus on immigration distracts from the bigger issues hurting everyday Americans.
“We support President Trump with his immigration policies. We don’t have a country if there is no law and order,” said Bianca Gracia, executive director of Latinos for America First. “If people love another country so much, they should go live there.”
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Her comments reflect a deeper divide among Latino communities across the country, including in places like Fresno. A preliminary Equis study found that while a majority of Latino voters had supported the Republican Party, their enthusiasm has cooled. The same study noted that Latino support for Republicans had grown since 2016, but it remains far from uniform. Another Pew Research Center study found that 48 percent of Latinos and Hispanics voted for Trump, highlighting how politically diverse the community really is.
Still, some voters continue to see Trump as the only real leader who can take charge. Blanca Miriam Porras, a Clovis business owner and conservative activist, believes his leadership remains unmatched. “Because without Trump, I think we’re doomed. I don’t think any of the Republicans can hold the candle to him,” Porras said. “I actually believe that he was chosen by God for these days, for this time. Even though I don’t believe he can fix the situation.”
Porras, who was born in Chihuahua, Mexico, became a U.S. resident through President Ronald Reagan’s 1986 amnesty program. After raising her family and running several businesses in California’s Central Valley, she’s become a voice for strict border security and personal responsibility. Her family’s experience with cartel violence in Mexico shapes her views, but she also supports a path to legalization for some undocumented immigrants. In her view, those who have worked hard, stayed out of trouble, and never relied on government aid deserve a chance at amnesty.
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She rejects identity-based politics altogether. “There’s no such thing. You’re either an American or you’re not. If you come here, then you’re an American,” she said. “If you ask to be a citizen or a resident, it’s because you want to belong here.”
Not everyone in the Central Valley sees it that way. The region has long been politically mixed, even with its large Latino population. In 1994, Fresno County voted nearly 59 percent in favor of Proposition 187, which aimed to deny public services to undocumented immigrants. “It’s ridiculous to think all Latinos will have the same ideology,” said Jesús Martínez, executive director of the Central Valley Immigrant Integration Collaborative (CVIIC).
The growing divide among Latino voters highlights just how complex and unpredictable American politics has become. While some still see Trump as the nation’s savior, others are ready to move on.