Republicans in South Texas are facing political challenges due to President Donald Trump's aggressive deportation campaign, which has alienated some Hispanic voters who supported the party in recent elections. Lawmakers like Rep. Monica De La Cruz are shifting their rhetoric to focus on targeting criminals rather than broad enforcement. This pivot comes as polls indicate growing dissatisfaction among Latino communities.
In South Texas, a region where Republicans made significant gains with Hispanic voters in 2024, President Trump's immigration crackdown is creating difficulties for vulnerable GOP incumbents. Rep. Monica De La Cruz, whose district is nearly 80 percent Hispanic and which she flipped from Democratic control in 2022, has moved away from advocating mass deportations. Instead, she emphasizes targeting the "worst of the worst" and proposes new visa categories, such as H-2C for construction and hospitality workers, while expanding the H-2A for agriculture. She has also arranged meetings at the White House to urge moderation in enforcement.
Rep. Tony Gonzales, representing a border district, similarly advocates focusing on "convicted criminal illegal aliens" amid concerns over deportations of non-threatening individuals. De La Cruz stated, "President Trump made a promise, and he’s kept that promise by securing the border. That was stage one. Now we’re at stage two, which is having a conversation of true immigration reform."
Recent polls show Hispanic voters, who backed Trump strongly in 2024, are turning against the administration due to the raids. The White House has responded by signaling reduced operations, including ending a surge in Minneapolis after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by an enforcement officer. Border czar Tom Homan confirmed the closure.
Business leaders report disruptions: Greg LaMantia of a beer wholesaler noted sales declines from fear among legal workers, while Daniel Guerrero of the South Texas Builders Association described construction delays from ICE activity. Daniel Garza of the LIBRE Initiative warned against an "everybody-out" approach, saying, "We don’t have to be a nation that has to decide between an ‘everybody-in’ or an ‘everybody-out’ approach."
A special election in Fort Worth last month saw a Democrat win with strong Hispanic support, highlighting potential vulnerabilities for Republicans ahead of November's congressional races.
