SACRAMENTO, California — California’s Democratic Latino lawmakers projected everything from forceful support to appalled opposition in response to President Joe Biden’s border crackdown Tuesday, reflecting the party’s deep rifts on a major election-year issue in a state that could decide control of Congress.
The split reactions show the degree to which a piece of conventional Democratic wisdom — that holding migrant-friendly policies was the key for Democrats to secure California’s expanding Latino vote — is unraveling as Latinos have become the largest ethnic group in the state.
Three House Democrats from California attended Biden’s signing of the executive order to deny entry to migrants outside designated ports of entry as crossings surge. But back in Sacramento, the chair of the state’s Latino Caucus blasted the action as akin to “Trump-era immigration policies,” calling on the president to reverse his decision.
“The Latino Caucus is steadfast in our commitment to vehemently oppose anti-immigrant or fear-mongering rhetoric that dehumanizes individuals who are risking their lives,” said Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes. “As a nation, we cannot afford to return to Trump-era immigration policies that threaten the lives of refugees or delegitimize migrants for the sake of political expediency.”
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus, chaired by Democratic California Rep. Nanette Barragán, called the order “deeply concerning,” saying in a statement that “enforcement-only strategies have repeatedly proven ineffective and only create more chaos at the border.”
U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, a traditional Biden ally and fervent immigration advocate, slammed the executive order as having “undermined American values and abandoned our nation’s obligations to provide people fleeing persecution, violence, and authoritarianism with an opportunity to seek refuge in the U.S.”
On the other side, California Rep. Salud Carbajal from the moderate New Democrat Coalition was among those who attended the signing and praised Biden as “taking decisive, commonsense action to restore order at the southern border.”
Also defending Biden were U.S. Sen. Laphonza Butler plus Reps. Mike Levin and Jim Costa, as well as Gov. Gavin Newsom and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria.
For decades, Democrats and immigration advocates have argued any border security enhancements must come with a path to citizenship, protections for those who come with family to the country illegally as children and reforms to the asylum process. But Democrats’ share of the Latino vote has declined and polls show this key demographic increasingly supports restrictions including a border wall.
Advocates are drifting from mainstream opinion, said Mike Madrid, a Sacramento-based strategist who has studied the Latino electorate for decades.
“Latino public opinion is shifting away from them decisively. The Latino electorate is totally different than the 90s and 2000s,” Madrid said. “The old narrative doesn’t work anymore.”
Madrid, whose forthcoming book “The Latino Century” examines how Latinos are moving beyond an ethnic voting bloc to being more motivated by economic concerns, said the fastest-growing segment of Latino voters are those under 30 who are a generation or more removed from recently-arrived immigrants.
The divide among Latino Democratic politicians reflects the gradual shift in Latino sentiment. There is still a large constituency for Padilla’s position — especially because California has a larger proportion of foreign-born Latinos relative to most other states — but the constituency for pro-border security Latinos like Carbajal is also growing.
One thing they could all agree on? Blaming Republicans who killed bipartisan border legislation earlier this year under pressure from former President Donald Trump.
“Reminder that the@GOP have refused to secure the border,” Newsom said in a post on X. “Only thing they’re interested in is playing politics.”
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Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
