Listen to this note:
Next January 20th, Donald John Trump, the son and grandson of immigrants, born in the Queens neighborhood of New York on June 14, 1946, will assume the office of President of the United States for the second time. He will become the 47th president of the country; his new mandate will extend until January 20, 2029, after a tough presidential campaign as the standard-bearer of the Republican Party.
Trump, previously known for his involvement in beauty pageantry and showbiz, will be the first US president to serve after being convicted of a crime. While the president-elect is unlikely to go to jail, his legal status remains uncertain.
Following his victory in the November 5 election, where, according to the official count, he beat then Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump has once again become a source of controversy, especially in the political and economic spheres. Harris, for her part, has kept a low profile since election night.
The results of the 2024 elections
According to the final data, Trump received 312 Electoral College votes and 77,303,568 popular votes, equivalent to 49.9 percent of the total. In contrast, Harris received 226 Electoral College votes and 75,019,230 popular votes, representing 48.4 percent.
Trump's campaign, as is typical, was marked by attacks and tensions with his main trading partners, such as Mexico and Canada, as well as his criticism of countries such as China, Panama and Greenland.
But the Republican victory immediately raised alarm bells among the growing immigrant community. Millions of people in Latin America and other regions try to enter the country every day, often illegally, in search of the so-called “American dream.”
A divided Latino vote
Paradoxically, compared to the 2016 electoral process, in which Hillary Clinton obtained more popular votes than Trump (although she lost in the Electoral College), in 2024 many Latinos voted for Trump, despite his hate speeches and threats of mass deportations.
This phenomenon, known as the “lifeboat syndrome,” was described by Colombian writer and senator Humberto de la Calle, who wrote on the social network X on November 6:
“Latino vote in the US. I would like to call it the 'lifeboat syndrome'. Once in the boat, there is overcrowding. Those who managed to get on kick out the shipwrecked who are still trying to make it. And Trump, with his fierce immigration policy, represents them. Human nature is not exactly exemplary.”
Writer and literary critic Rafael Narbona also analyzed Latino support for Trump in an article published on November 6, 2024:
“The problem is not just Donald Trump. His voters don’t care that he is racist, xenophobic, misogynist, authoritarian and a convicted criminal. In fact, they voted for him for that reason. (…) Latino immigrants with papers also have no sympathy for their compatriots. The lifeboat is full and could sink if it takes in more people.”
The migration threat
Trump has promised to deport more than a million undocumented immigrants. Currently, there are an estimated 11 million people without legal status in the United States, putting thousands of families at risk of being separated.
The president-elect confirmed that Thomas Homan, former New York City police chief and former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), will lead immigration policies as “border czar.” Homan will be responsible for overseeing deportations.
Faced with this threat, Mexico, led by President Claudia Sheinbaum, has announced measures to protect Mexican citizens in the United States, including a mobile application with a panic button that will connect users with consulates and embassies.
In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) has implemented 11 actions to support the Mexican community, including: the dissemination of the Information Center for Assistance to Mexicans (CIAM), a 24-hour emergency line, mobile consulates and financial advice.
Final thoughts
Although the alliance that some hoped for between Kamala Harris and Claudia Sheinbaum did not materialize in the vote, the path continues. In the next four years, the free press and non-governmental organizations will have a crucial role in documenting abuses and defending the human rights of immigrants, the LGBTQI+ community and other vulnerable groups.
The challenges are immense, but the Latino community has proven to be resilient and hard-working.
As former Mexican President Vicente Fox said: “Mexicans do the work that no one else wants to do.”
In times of adversity, unity will be key: “Latinos united will never be defeated.”
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