After historic gains among Latino voters in the 2024 election, President Donald Trump is now facing declining support from Hispanic Americans during his first 100 days back in office, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.
The national survey, conducted through April 21, shows Trump’s approval rating among Hispanic voters has dropped by 3 points to 34%, while disapproval has surged to 61%—a 7-point increase since he took office in January.
This marks a sharp reversal from November 2024, when Trump won 46% of the Hispanic vote—his best performance among Latinos and the strongest for any Republican presidential candidate since the 1970s, based on Edison Research exit polling and analysis from the American Enterprise Institute.
Economy and Immigration Driving Discontent
Economic anxiety appears to be a key factor. Latino voters like Antonio Gonzales Jr., a Navy veteran in California, say they’re concerned about rising costs and the ongoing trade war with China.
“I know there has to be hard times before there’s good times,” said Gonzales, who voted for Trump but is growing anxious about inflation and trade instability.
Despite Trump’s strong law-and-order rhetoric, concerns about the fairness of his immigration policies are growing. Gonzales, while supporting stronger borders, expressed discomfort with recent deportations occurring without judicial review.
“It should be open-faced. We should be able to see what is going on and that it’s not secretive,” he said.
Poll Data Shows Broader Slippage
The Reuters/Ipsos polling, which included over 10,000 respondents across two waves between January and April, shows Trump’s approval has slipped across various demographics. Disapproval among all Americans has climbed to 53%, with Latinos showing an even sharper reaction.
Support among Hispanics for Trump’s immigration policy dropped 4 points to 32%. Even so, 42% still support increasing deportations of undocumented immigrants—lower than the 63% support among white voters.
Latino Advocates Warn of Backlash
Latino rights groups warn that while Trump gained Latino votes due to economic frustrations, his administration now risks alienating them with harsh immigration enforcement and limited economic relief.
“What really helped Republicans in 2024 is economic discontent, and now that folks are not feeling better, it’s an alarm bell,” said Clarissa Martinez de Castro, of UnidosUS. “Trump owns the economy now.”
She added that while most Latino voters support deporting violent criminals, they do not back deportations of long-time undocumented residents without due process.
Mixed Views From the Latino Electorate
Latino voters remain divided. Caleb Gonzalez, a school counselor in San Antonio, views Trump’s efforts as a “trial and error” approach: “Some of it’s good, some of it you gotta make some adjustments.”
Others, like Norma Perez—a Maryland independent who supported Democrat Kamala Harris—agree with some Trump priorities like shrinking government and deporting violent offenders, but believe even undocumented immigrants deserve legal protections.
“Even those deserve due process,” Perez said.
White House principal deputy press secretary Harrison Fields defended Trump’s standing, saying:
“President Trump earned historic support from Latino Americans, who trust him to remove barriers to achieving the American Dream.”
