Migrants in Central, South America hoping Kamala beats Trump: report
“A potential victory of Republican candidate Donald Trump in the race for the presidency of the United States would toughen immigration procedures.”
Numerous reports from Central and South America have revealed that migrants seeking to enter the United States are hoping for a victory by Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming November election against Donald Trump. According to the Daily Mail, Latin American media outlets have highlighted concerns over a potential Trump win, with migrants fearing it would lead to stricter immigration policies.
“Migrants see risks with Trump’s return,” a September 20 Mexican article was titled. Another article noted that Ecuadorian migrants want Harris to win because they feel it would provide them more “reassurance” about their ability to remain in the US for longer periods.
“A potential victory of Republican candidate Donald Trump in the race for the presidency of the United States would toughen immigration procedures, said the specialist in Immigration Law and International Law, Josefina Orozco,” an article from the Mexican outlet El Imparcial wrote.
“Immigrants who are in the United States with a status that could lead to their deportation” could be “vulnerable,” it added.
The Spanish outlet Diario Publico reported concerns that a Trump presidency could end the Biden-Harris administration’s CBP One app, which has facilitated migrant entry into the US by coordinating flights. The Ecuadorian news agency La República also wrote that migrants stranded at the US-Mexico border and those already in the US illegally fear their journeys could be “cut short” if Trump wins and implements his desired immigration policies.
In July, a report by the Associated Press found that many migrants that are in Mexico seeking to enter the US illegally are rushing to enter the country before the election, worried that Trump’s victory could make it harder for them to enter.
In the past, Harris has historically opposed tougher immigration measures. She has advocated for the relaxation of deportation requirements, described the southern border wall as “un-American,” and supported decriminalizing illegal border crossings during her 2020 presidential campaign.
Recently, however, Harris has attempted to distance herself from perceptions of being weak on immigration. During a recent visit to the Arizona border, she pledged immigration reform, but the trip was dismissed by critics, including the Border Patrol Union, which accused it of being an inauthentic “photo op” designed to bolster her electoral odds before the election.