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ICE crackdown prompts some Texas Latinos to turn away from Trump
CBS News • • nation
Key Points:
- Benny Melendez, a construction company owner in South Texas, has installed fences at job sites to prevent ICE agents from arresting his immigrant workers without judicial warrants, citing fear and manpower shortages due to the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.
- The crackdown has severely impacted the construction industry along the U.S.-Mexico border, with projects taking much longer to complete due to worker detentions and fear of arrest.
- Melendez, who voted for Trump in 2024 after supporting Biden in 2020, now regrets both votes, reflecting a broader disillusionment among some Latino voters affected by aggressive immigration enforcement.
- Democrats hope concerns about ICE's deportation policies will help them regain support in key Texas races during the upcoming midterm elections, as Latino communities along the border express growing unease.
- Local officials, including McAllen's Republican mayor, acknowledge support for border security but warn that ICE's tactics are perceived as targeting the Hispanic community broadly, fostering fear even among U.S. citizens.
