Increasing Immigration is not a Key Issue for Many Hispanics

Recent polls and media analyses spell out how Republicans are capturing Hispanic voters whom Democrats lost ground with, and, notably, how Hispanic voters along the border increasingly favor Republican platforms on immigration limits and enforcement.

These reports cite that economic and worker issues are the key concerns for Hispanic voters — not increasing immigration.

Equis Poll Shows Hispanic Views on Immigration

An Equis poll tracking how Hispanics who voted in 2020 now feel on issues, was released this past December and is at the center of much discussion on the Hispanic vote.

The poll shows that 55% favor more border spending, 51% favor limiting asylum/refugees, and 49% want to reduce legal immigration.

The Equis poll summarizes:

Primacy of immigration and Latino solidarity both dropped from 2016 to 2020…

Importance of the economy rose as prioritization of immigration dropped”

Equis Poll Also Noted In WSJ and NYT

The Equis poll is cited in The Wall Street Journal column “Democratic Primary in Border District Shows Divides on Immigration Policy” that covers the race between Rep. Henry Cuellar and Jessica Cisneros in Texas. The column states:

A Democratic primary fight in a southern-border congressional district is highlighting the party’s broader turmoil over immigration policy and whether it can hang onto the support of moderate and Hispanic voters.”

The New York Times columnist Ross Douthat cites the Equis poll in his December 2021 column:

The chart that should frighten Democratic strategists appears in the 23rd slide of a newly released report from Equis Research, which tries to explain the Hispanic shift toward the Republican Party in the 2020 election…it’s the numbers on immigration and border policy that are particularly notable.”

The Wall Street JournalPoll – The Hispanic Vote “Equally Split”

A Wall Street Journal poll conducted this past November revealed how fluid the Hispanic demographic is between the two parties, showing that issues like immigration and border enforcement can be paramount for some voters and critical to upcoming elections.

According to the poll:

One year after giving Democratic House candidates more than 60% of their vote…the Journal survey found that Hispanic voters are evenly split in their choice for Congress. Asked which party they would back if the election were today, 37% of Hispanic voters said they would support the Republican congressional candidate and 37% said they would favor the Democrat, with 22% undecided.”

Republicans Highlight “Chaotic Border” as a Political Issue

In the Washington Post column “Republicans make gains in the Rio Grande Valley ahead of Texas primary” authors Arelis R. Hernández and Michael Scherer divulge how Republican operatives are taking advantage of Hispanic voters discontent at the border:

Before the 2018 election, a Republican outfit, Project Red Texas, run by Gov. Greg Abbott’s former campaign manager Wayne Hamilton, recruited 54 GOP candidates at the county level or lower along the border. This year, in a smaller county footprint, the group helped train or fund the filing fees for 135 candidates, about half of whom are Hispanic, he said.

Hamilton credits the chaotic border, the South Texas oil and gas industry and the cultural alienation from national Democrats as the reason for Republican growth.”

LISA IRVING is the Volunteer Coordinator for NumbersUSA’s Media Standards Project