From Bukele to Trump? Examining Latinx Immigrants’ Understandings of the US Political Landscape

• In Event: 30825 - Immigrant Political Participation

Abstract

What explains how Latinx immigrants understand and engage in politics? What role do premigration political socialization and transnational political behaviors play in shaping the political engagement of immigrant populations in the US? Drawing from a comparative study of Mexican and Salvadoran immigrants in the Greater Boston Area, this study finds that premigration and transnational understandings of politics shape how these immigrants navigate and position themselves within the US political landscape.

First, participants distinguish between politicians and political parties, allowing them to support specific candidates without committing to a political party. Although the US political system is often framed through two dominant parties, participants did not find this categorization meaningful—partly because political parties played a less significant role in individual political actions in their countries of origin. As such, participants were able to support President Trump without affiliating with the Republican Party. Importantly, this distinction allows participants to shift their political views depending on available alternatives, suggesting that political support is more fluid than previously thought.

Second, this study identifies how civic spaces, particularly religious institutions, influence political priorities. For those actively engaged in religious activities, faith shaped their understanding of political and policy debates, particularly regarding abortion and equal marriage. These beliefs intersected with assessments of politicians’ (rather than political parties’) performance, often favoring then-candidate Donald Trump. This process was sequential: first, participants evaluated which politician aligned most with their social values, then they assessed whether that politician’s policies had directly impacted their families. If they had not been personally affected, they were more likely to offer support. If they had been negatively affected, they felt conflicted about their political stance, though this rarely translated into support for an opposition candidate.

This comparative study of first-generation Salvadoran and Mexican immigrants provides deeper insight into how immigrant communities navigate and position themselves within the US political landscape.

Author

• Meylin Alessandra Gonzales Huaman, Harvard University