Despite increased deportation efforts under President Donald Trump's administration, many in South Florida's Latino community support local police partnerships with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). As reported by WSVN, in cities like Hialeah and Coral Gables, which have large Hispanic populations, particularly Cubans, there has been little opposition to these collaborations.
This support contrasts with protests during Trump's first term. Some view these measures as a betrayal, while others, like Frank Ayllon, a Miami sales representative, argue, "I feel like a lot of these people are taking it very personal. And it’s not personal. It’s just that you’ve got to understand that this has been an open border for many years," according to WSVN. Ayllon, who previously criticized Trump’s 2020 election claims, now supports the president's actions in his second term.
A political shift among Latino voters in Florida has been observed, with less support for Democratic candidates compared to the 2020 election. AP VoteCast data cited by CBS News Miami showed that about half of Latino men voted for Kamala Harris in 2024, down from about 60% who supported Biden in 2020. Additionally, 70% of Hispanic voters in Florida favored reducing the number of immigrants seeking asylum at the U.S. border.
Trump’s stance against socialist regimes resonates with many in the Cuban exile community, contributing to his strong support among Cuban voters in the 2024 election, with about two-thirds backing him. This group, which values legal entry into the U.S., has faced challenges since Obama’s 2017 end of the "wet foot, dry foot" policy. The U.S. saw its largest Cuban exodus since the 1980 Mariel boatlift between 2021 and 2022, as detailed by CBS News Miami.
Some community members, like Barbara Canales, who regularized her immigration status after overstaying her visa, believe adhering to immigration rules is crucial. She told WSVN, "It's the reality that if you're here breaking the rules, you have to suffer the consequences."
Meanwhile, Julian Padron, a Cuban political prisoner who came to the U.S. decades ago, opposed Trump and described his actions as anti-democratic, sharing his views with CBS News Miami at Miami's Domino Park.
