Some divisions are emerging among the state Latinos of Swing who voted for President Donald Trump when it comes to their approach to mass deportations, according to new conversations of focus groups with some of these voters, which, however, remain widely supported by the president.
Most Trump Latin voters who participated in recent focal groups observed by NBC News as part of the 2025 Deciders series, produced by the University of Syracuse and Research firms Commitment and Sagú, said they approve the management of Trump’s illegal immigration. And most approved their actions widely as president.
These voters were key to Trump’s victory in 2024, when it improved significantly among Latin voters compared to their previous campaigns. The president lost Latinos for 5 points last year, after losing the group for 33 points in 2020, according to the NBC News output survey. Other estimates of the 2024 vote have also indicated the broad change, although some have not shown so much movement.
People in these focal groups said they voted for Trump due to concerns about the economy, including inflation and immigration. And most of them were still behind the president (all but four also voted for Trump in 2020).
“He is maintaining his promises and is doing what he said he was going to do,” said David L., a 60 -year -old Georgia voter who grew up in Mexico, about Trump.
But there were cracks, although small, in support of some of Trump’s specific policies. Two voters who supported Joe Biden in 2020 and turned to Trump in 2024 said they would not vote for Trump if they had the opportunity to rebuild their vote, choosing instead supporting a third party candidate.
One of those voters, Ruby L., 59, from Georgia, said he disapproved Trump’s presidency so far due to possible cuts to programs such as Medicaid and for his approach to deport undocumented immigrants.
“I was going to deport people who were criminals and who had a history,” said Ruby, who was born in Colombia. “But I see that he sports people who work hard and have been in this country. I think I should find a way to help them stay and get a citizenship or something.”
Deportation Division
Ruby’s concerns about generalized deportations underlined some divisions between these voters, even when they widely supported Trump’s actions on immigration. Three of Trump voters disapproved their illegal immigration management, while 10 approved. That may not reflect the general opinions of Latin Trump voters, because, unlike a survey, which uses statistical methods to demonstrate how a larger population feels, focal groups deepen how individual panelists see key questions facing the country.
“Most of these Hispanic Trump Hispanic voters from Hispanic state, firmly support the president’s approach to illegal immigration, although they want a more reflective prioritization with respect to who is deported earlier instead of later,” said Rich Thau, president of Mattergiaus, who modeled the sessions.
Several voters supported deportations of undocumented immigrants, regardless of whether they have committed crimes.
“Well, what do you expect? If you came here illegally, you have done something illegal. Wait for the consequences,” said Justin O., 38, from Nevada, who was born in the United States and is of Mexican descent.
“If we are not going to enforce the laws, why even have them to have them?” Said Zachary N., 40, from Michigan, who is also of Mexican descent.
Maria P., a 40 -year voter of Puerto Rican ancestry in Nevada, said Trump’s approach in deportations is no different from that of previous presidents, including Democrats Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.
“Everyone did, but now it’s just the first time everyone arises,” Maria said.
Connie A., a voter of Mexican descent from Arizona, 59, questioned why an undocumented immigrant who has been in the country for decades had not tried to request a green card or citizenship.
“There is no direct path,” said Mariana L., a 27 -year -old North Carolina resident who was born in Venezuela and was one of several participants who pointed out the way to become a legal resident, even for those who want, can be difficult. Mariana was among the voters who did not approve the management of Trump’s illegal immigration, pointing out her movement to revoke certain legal protections for immigrants from her country of origin.
“Changing those states is a bit unfair to people who built their lives here,” he said.
Mariana and some other voters also said that the administration should prioritize the deportation of undocumented immigrants who committed crimes.
“I guess they are focusing so much on those who have committed crimes and those who do not,” said Jennifer L., a voter of Michigan’s Mexican ancestry, 44. She approved Trump’s general performance as president, but disapproved her management of illegal immigration.
“There are some who are coming back because they should, but then there are also some immigrants who really go to that, maybe they have not committed a crime,” he added later.
“He said he was going to focus on criminals and things like that. And then there are people who are not criminals who also go,” said Oscar B., a 52 -year -old Pennsylvania voter, and added that the Trump administration should adopt a “more to measure” more “approach.
Oscar, who was born in Venezuela, also pointed out that he has seen publications on a local Facebook page for Latinos in his area that warn about the immigration and customs’ immigration raids.
“People there, make publications where they talk about the ice is in the city and does not leave their home,” Oscar said.
Ruby de Georgia also said he has seen “a lot of fear” in his community.
“They are afraid to leave and [they say]”Do not leave if you are a citizen, do not leave without your citizenship certificate or whatever it is because you never know,” Ruby said. “So they are creating that source of fear in the area.
Other voters, such as María de Nevada, seemed to fight with different approaches to deport undocumented immigrants who have been in the country for years “gathering society,” he said.
“It’s the law,” he added later, “but sometimes the law makes it almost impossible for many of them to become citizens at the end of the day. And that is what we have to realize too. That’s why I’m torn.”
“We see in their responses how conflicting there are some of these voters when it comes to deporting undocumented residents who have become de facto Americans, have families, pay taxes, live peacefully and contribute to society,” said Margaret Talev, director of the Institute of Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship of the University of Syracuse, which leads the Focal Group Matter/Sago.
“However, overwhelmingly they are still supporting President Trump, showing the resistance of his loyalty and how motivated they are to oppose illegal immigration,” Talev said.
Los Angeles Answer
While there were some divisions on the deportations of the Trump administration, Trump’s voters who participated in the focal groups widely supported Trump’s response to protests against ice raids in Los Angeles.
Ten of the 13 participants approved the decision of the president to deploy troops of the National Guard of California and hundreds of Marines, and several voters described the protests as violent and destructive.
“It could usually be out of the ordinary, since it was so early in the demonstrations. But I think given the [Black Lives Matter] riots and everything that our country happened a few years ago, and be in California where [Gov. Gavin] Newsom will hardly leave his foot at all, I think he had to advance, otherwise, we would see even more about that, ”said Rozlyn C., a 44 -year -old Cuban Cuban ancestry voter.
“These idiots are trying to tear down their city,” said Irma C., a 58 -year -old Mexican ancestor of Mexican descent.
The few who disapproved Trump’s actions described them as “too soon” or outside the limits.
“There is a chain of command that must be followed. A governor needs to request, we cannot go there, the State needs to request. Now, he has gone completely against that,” said Justin de Nevada, referring to Trump.
“The US army should never be used against its own citizens.
Mainly positive in the economy
Several of these voters said they supported Trump because they believed that he could better address the economy and high prices, and mostly they like what they have seen of Trump so far in those issues.
Eight voters said they feel less anxious to the economy compared to when Trump assumed the position in January. Only two said they were more anxious.
“The reduced anxiety eight of them feel about the economy after only five months reflects not only their experiences as consumers, but also their faith in President Trump as a businessman turned into a leader,” said Thau, the moderator of the focal group.
“As the owner of a small business, my costs went up under Biden,” said William A., a 60 -year -old Georgia Georgic Georgia voter, suggesting that Biden’s policies increased the price of oil, which impacted “everything else.” In his opinion, Trump’s policies are “raising our fuel production and reducing fuel costs.”
Mariana, North Carolina’s voter who was born in Venezuela, said she supported Trump and the Republican party due to her concerns about the economy. She said she has seen that local edible prices go down since Trump assumed the position.
“I think inflation, the economy is what they know and Trump to be a businessman is just what he does and has been doing to make a living,” he said.
But Jennifer, Michigan’s voter, said the high prices of goods such as eggs, dairy products, meat and products have persisted, and did not believe Trump was making inflation addressing inflation to be a priority.
“I thought it would be a priority instead of changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico the ‘Gulf of America’,” Jennifer said. “But I hope it happens. But definitely, in Michigan here he has not done so, prices here have risen and stay awake.
Most voters also said they supported Trump’s actions on commerce and tariffs, and the rest said they don’t know enough about the subject to intervene.
Rozlyn C. de Georgia said that he did not agree with the president’s decision to impose tariffs on some countries with which the United States did not have a commercial deficit. But she still supports the president.
“I think it has a great master plan that most of us probably do not understand,” Rozlyn said. “But I have faith that he, one hundred percent, has the best interest of our country in the heart.”
