Minutes after Donald Trump delivered his customary warnings about the threats posed by drug dealers and criminals illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, a poignant moment unfolded during his campaign event in Las Vegas. On this particular Saturday, the former president, notorious for his hardline immigration stance, heard from someone who was once in the country illegally but now stands among his supporters, planning to vote for him.
Elias Trujillo, one of the speakers at a Latino roundtable hosted by Trump in Las Vegas, shared his immigration journey. His story, much like those of millions of undocumented immigrants, reflects both the complexities of American immigration and the ways it intersects with economic opportunity. Trujillo’s appearance aimed to underscore Trump’s appeal to Latino voters, showcasing a former undocumented immigrant who now praises the man known for his strict stance on immigration enforcement.
Trujillo recounted how his mother brought him and his siblings to the U.S. from northern Mexico in 1995. They came legally on visas but overstayed, joining his father, who had been working in construction in Utah. “We came here legally, but you know, we overstayed, and we were able to make life here in the United States,” Trujillo said, his voice carrying a mix of pride and laughter. The audience, fully aware of the irony of his story against the backdrop of Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric, erupted in laughter and applause.
Trump, for his part, smiled at the moment, displaying a rare softness. It was a scene that captured the inherent contradictions of Trump’s campaign: a former president, whose rise to political prominence has largely been fueled by hardline immigration policies, sitting with a man whose family’s very presence in the U.S. once defied the immigration laws Trump now seeks to strengthen.
This brief interaction exposed the paradox that has come to define Trump’s political appeal, particularly among Latino voters. Trump has built much of his campaign around a stark and often harsh narrative of immigration, labeling undocumented migrants as threats to American safety and prosperity. He has referred to migrants as “poisoning the blood” of the nation, described the southern border crisis as an “invasion,” and vowed to implement mass deportations if reelected.
Yet, at the same time, Trump has managed to build a surprising level of support among Latino voters, including some who were once undocumented or who come from families with similar backgrounds. This paradox raises questions about how Trump’s immigration messaging resonates with a demographic that he simultaneously courts and critiques.
For many Latino voters, their support for Trump is driven by concerns that go beyond immigration. Economic issues, in particular, often take precedence. In fact, a recent Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Opinion Research poll found that around 8 in 10 Hispanic voters consider the economy to be one of the most important issues this election season.
Trump has consistently argued that his policies on immigration and the economy will benefit Latino and other minority communities. He often claims, despite contradictory economic data, that immigrants are taking jobs away from Black and Hispanic citizens. This economic message, along with his focus on entrepreneurship and individual success, has proven to be a powerful draw for a portion of the Latino electorate.
During the Las Vegas event, Trump attempted to strike a balance between his tough stance on illegal immigration and his praise for Latino voters. He lauded Hispanics as having “wonderful entrepreneurship” and “great ambition,” describing them as natural businesspeople with boundless energy. His rhetoric here seemed to gloss over the deeper tensions between his immigration policies and his desire to win over Latino voters.
The relationship between Latino voters and Trump is complex, shaped by both economic and cultural factors. Despite his harsh language on immigration, Trump’s support among Hispanic voters has increased since 2016. This is partly due to his economic messaging, as well as his framing of himself as a strong leader capable of restoring America’s prosperity.
Elias Trujillo’s story is a case in point. While he initially harbored doubts about Trump, over time, he grew to support the former president. Trujillo described his life as an immigrant in the U.S. with a mix of determination and frustration. He had to navigate life in the shadows without legal status, uncertain of what he could achieve. But despite these challenges, he graduated from high school, got married, and started a family. Today, Trujillo is the father of two children and owns a restaurant, although he said his business has been struggling due to rising costs of labor and goods.
Trujillo’s hopes for a better economic future have led him to place his trust in Trump. “I’m happy with the opportunity that Trump has again to run and hopefully get us back on track,” Trujillo said. “I think there’s room to make America greater.”
His comments highlight a recurring theme in Trump’s appeal to some Latino voters: the belief that Trump’s economic policies will lead to greater opportunities for small business owners and workers. While Trujillo acknowledged the difficulties he faced as an undocumented immigrant, he also expressed support for Trump’s position on securing the border, framing it as necessary to stop drug and sex trafficking.
Trujillo’s story, however, underscores a broader contradiction within Trump’s campaign. On one hand, Trump has built a political brand around strong opposition to illegal immigration, frequently employing inflammatory rhetoric to describe migrants. On the other hand, his campaign is actively courting Latino voters, some of whom come from immigrant families or have direct experience with the challenges of navigating the immigration system.
This tension is not lost on Trujillo. While he supports Trump’s tough stance on border security, he also advocates for a path to legal status for undocumented immigrants who have been living in the U.S. for years and have established lives here. “There should be a pathway for the ones that are already here illegally, but who have created a life,” Trujillo said, adding that such a pathway should not be easy but should be available to those who are contributing to society.
This proposal, often labeled as “amnesty” by immigration hardliners, has been a central point of contention in the immigration debate for decades. For many Trump supporters, the idea of granting legal status to undocumented immigrants is a nonstarter, one that goes against Trump’s promise to enforce immigration laws and prioritize American workers. Yet, for voters like Trujillo, the reality of immigration is more nuanced, shaped by personal experience and the desire for a compassionate solution.
As Trump campaigns for a second term in office, immigration is once again at the forefront of the political debate. The former president has repeatedly painted a dire picture of the southern border, warning of an “invasion” of migrants and pledging to launch mass deportations if reelected. He has also revived his claims that immigrants are taking jobs away from American citizens, particularly minority groups.
However, the real-world impact of Trump’s immigration policies is more complicated. While many of his supporters back his tough stance on border security, there is also a growing recognition among some voters that the U.S. immigration system is broken and in need of reform. This includes finding a solution for the millions of undocumented immigrants who are already living in the country, many of whom, like Trujillo, have built lives, families, and businesses in the U.S.
The question for Trump as he seeks to return to the White House is whether he can continue to navigate this delicate balancing act — appealing to his base with strong anti-immigration rhetoric while also reaching out to Latino voters, many of whom have personal connections to the immigrant experience. For now, Trump seems confident that his economic message will resonate with Latino voters, even as his hardline immigration stance remains a central pillar of his campaign.
The roundtable discussion in Las Vegas served as a microcosm of the contradictions and complexities that define Trump’s 2024 campaign. On one hand, he continues to use stark and divisive language about immigration, describing migrants as a threat to national security and the American way of life. On the other hand, he seeks to win over Latino voters like Elias Trujillo, who, despite their personal history with illegal immigration, now see Trump as the best candidate to lead the country forward.
As Trump’s campaign unfolds, these paradoxes are likely to become even more pronounced, forcing both Trump and his supporters to confront the tensions between the rhetoric of immigration and the realities of American life. Whether Trump can successfully bridge this divide will be one of the defining challenges of his bid for a second term in office.
