On a press call held today, Texas State Representative Cesar Blanco joined with Latino Decisions Principal Sylvia Manzano, Latino Victory Project President Cristóbal J. Alex, and America’s Voice: Texas State Director Mario Carrillo to discuss the findings and implications of new polling exploring Texas Latinos’ views on SB4, DACA, and the ongoing debate over Dreamers. [Toplines here and Summary Deck here]
Sylvia Manzano, Principal at Latino Decisions, highlighted some of the key poll takeaways of the nationwide poll of Latinos:
Hispanic Texans oppose new immigration policies
- 72% believe it is likely that Hispanics who are U.S. citizens are still targeted and affected by laws that target or penalize undocumented immigrants.
- 70% oppose SB4 provision encouraging law enforcement to ask about immigration status
- 67% oppose SB4 provision penalizing local government employees if they do not cooperate with federal immigration requests
- 62% oppose SB4 provision requiring local jails to hold detainees on behalf of ICE
- 76% oppose the move to end DACA
- 75% oppose proposed border wall
Texas Latinos are very concerned about immigration and view it as a personal issue
- 48% said immigration reform/Dream Act is the most important issue to the Hispanic community
- 34% said immigration reform/Dream Act is the most important issue facing the country
- 58% know someone who is undocumented
- 42% know a DACA applicant
- 33% know someone who has been detained or deported
Texas Hispanics overwhelming back Dream Act and comprehensive immigration reform
- 89% want Congress to pass the Dream Act
- 86% want comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship
On the call, State Representative Cesar Blanco (D-El Paso), said, “President Trump has consistently demonstrated that he is out of touch with the Latino community and Republicans are falling in line behind him. Trump’s xenophobic agenda goes against our American values and public opinion. Efforts to end DACA and policies like S.B. 4 will be the lightning rod that mobilizes the fastest growing population in Texas. If Republicans continue to advocate for tearing families apart, trampling on civil rights, and endangering young people by sending them to countries they don’t know, they’ll effectively seal the fate of their party.”
Latino Victory Project President Cristóbal J. Alex, said, “In increasing numbers, Latinos are ceasing to view the Republican Party as an option, and President Trump is a major factor in this shift. This puts progressives in a favorable position in 2018 and 2020, but being ant-Trump won’t be enough. We must galvanize Latinos and give them a reason to vote Democrat.”
America’s Voice: Texas State Director Mario Carrillo, said, “Latinos are 40 percent of all Texans and, as our numbers continue to grow, so will our political power. As the Texas’ GOP continues to attack Latinos and immigrants with discriminatory and hateful laws like SB4, it is imperative that we continue to make our voices heard both in our communities and statewide. Latinos in Texas know that our state is better than policies like SB4. These polling results show that it will be Latinos who continue to move our state forward and make the Lone Star State welcoming to all.”
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