The Trump Administration’s Immigration Policies Are Increasingly at Odds with Latino Voters’ Priorities 

By Cristobal Ramón

Latinos have called for a balanced immigration and border policy that combines relief for the undocumented with sensible approaches to address legitimate security threats, a desire that hasn’t changed since the 2024 election.

In fact, UnidosUS’s 100-Days Bipartisan Poll of Hispanic Voters, which surveyed 1,002 Latino registered voters between April 11 and April 19, 2025, shows that Latino voters still want lawmakers to deliver on this approach. 

Voters are increasingly at odds with the excesses of the administration’s immigration crackdown, one that harms their communities, the welfare of children and the country’s values of fairness and equality. It’s also likely the reason why two-thirds of Hispanic voters feel the rule of law is failing and the constitution is being violated.

Latino voters continue to want a balanced approach to immigration policy 

The start of the second Trump term has not seen a shift in Latino voters’ desire for a balanced approach to U.S. immigration policy that provides relief for the long-residing undocumented and promote the county’s security without needlessly harming families and children. 

The poll shows that Latino want a common sense and humane approach to immigration enforcement. 78% of Latino voters — a view shared by the broader public — want lawmakers to focus deportation efforts on undocumented individuals who pose legitimate safety threats, rather than long-residing individuals without criminal records. This view aligns with recent polling that shows most Americans do not support mass deportation policies, despite their political visibility (ABC News/538; G. Elliott Morris). However, new ICE data and immigration tracking reports show that since January 2025, immigration authorities have increasingly targeted undocumented individuals with no criminal record.

Figure 1: If you had to choose, which of the following statements comes closer to your view? 

Latino voters overwhelmingly want lawmakers to prioritize providing relief for long-residing undocumented groups over mass deportations, a position that has not changed since November 2023. Forcing local law enforcement to enforce the country’s immigration laws was a low priority for respondents, suggesting their aversion to the administration’s efforts to expand its crackdown. 

Figure 2: Thinking about the U.S. immigration system, which of the following policy options do you want for elected officials to support or pass into law?

Figure 2 also shows Latinos continue to want a balanced border policy that promotes border security and humanitarian concerns. The respondents prioritize cracking down on human smugglers and drug traffickers. However, providing asylum to individuals fleeing dire conditions was a higher priority compared to UnidosUS polls, suggesting the treatment of asylum seekers is becoming more important to Latino voters as the administration pursues a hardline border policy that rejects this approach. 

Latino voters are beginning to oppose the growing excesses of the administration’s immigrant crackdown 

Latino voters increasingly oppose the growing excesses of the administration’s immigrant crackdown. While this opposition stems from the administration’s rejection of a balanced immigration approach, the White House’s disregard for the rule of law, personal privacy, protection of children, and the country’s values has likely contributed to Latinos turning against its immigration policies. Supporting this view, a recent poll found that 66% of respondents believe the rule of law in the U.S. is failing and that the Constitution is being violated.

Latinos want the administration to respect the country’s protection of due process rights for non-citizens, with 60% opposing its deportation of undocumented individuals without a court hearing.4

Figure 3: Do you approve or disapprove of this policy or proposal?

Latinos also strongly oppose policies that place children and their welfare at great risk, with 60% opposing the administration’s decision to allow immigration authorities to conduct enforcement actions in schools. This policy change also removed protections against enforcement in hospitals and places of worship, meaning immigration authorities can now operate in these sensitive locations.

Figure 4: Do you approve or disapprove of this policy or proposal?

These voters also are critical of using private government data to expand immigrant crackdowns, with 57% opposing the White House’s use of IRS tax data to make it easier to identify and deport undocumented individuals, according to CNN.

Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers, or ITINs, which are issued to non-citizens without Social Security numbers, have become the principal way undocumented individuals file their federal taxes, as explained by the National Immigration Forum and the American Immigration Council.

Figure 5: Do you approve or disapprove of this policy or proposal?

Finally, Latinos oppose the administration’s rejection of longstanding constitutional precedent that preserves citizenship for all individuals born in the United States, with 62% opposing the White House’s efforts to eliminate birthright citizenship for the children of undocumented immigrants. The executive order also applies to children of individuals on temporary visas, a policy that three Courts of Appeals have stated is unconstitutional.

Figure 6: Do you approve or disapprove of this policy or proposal?

Like Latino voters, Americans have become increasingly uncomfortable with the excesses of the administration’s crackdown for the same reasons. They oppose ending birthright citizenship, have reservations about deporting individuals without hearings and have concerns about immigration enforcement actions in schools. 

The administration’s immigration policies have negatively impacted Latino voters’ communities during its first 100 Days 

The administration’s immigration crackdown has already harmed the respondents’ sense of personal security, their local employers’ workforces and the academic achievement of their children, damages that large-scale deportation efforts have imposed on the Latino community in the past. 

The poll found 43% of respondents feared that immigration authorities would arrest them even if they’re U.S. citizens — fears that may stem from broader concerns, as 66% of respondents said the rule of law in the U.S. is failing and the Constitution is being violated.

Figure 7: Thinking of recent immigration policies and actions, do any of the following apply to you or your community? Select all that apply

Respondents also noted that the administration’s policies were harming their employers and children. 35% of respondents said their employers had lost workers, while 32% said children were missing school due to parents’ fears of immigration arrests at or near schools.

Previous research has shown that expanded immigration enforcement can undermine economic growth and harm the mental and physical well-being of children in mixed-status families, including those with U.S. citizen children.

These findings highlight how the administration’s immigration crackdown is having wide-reaching consequences — disrupting the workforce, instilling fear in schools and even leading to reports of immigration authorities arresting and detaining U.S. citizens.

Latino voters still want an immigration policy that’s Firm, Fair and Free of Cruelty 

Latino voters are sending a clear message to lawmakers: an excessive immigration crackdown that harms their communities will not secure their political support. Instead, lawmakers must offer immigration policies that align with the Latino community’s desire for an immigration approach that’s firm, fair and free of cruelty. Like other Americans, Latino voters want policies that respect their personal values, especially when it comes to preserving the rule of law, respecting an individual’s privacy and protecting the welfare of the country’s children.