I was talking with a friend about support for Trump in immigrant communities in general a few months ago, and he argued one thing that's going on is that Trump has become so closely associated with American identity that some think backing him will help them assimilate. - ThreadSky

ositanwanevu.bsky.social • 13 days ago

I was talking with a friend about support for Trump in immigrant communities in general a few months ago, and he argued one thing that's going on is that Trump has become so closely associated with American identity that some think backing him will help them assimilate.

Reposted from Osita Nwanevu

The only bit of Election Day reporting that's stuck in my head is the undocumented people who were interviewed and said they would have voted for Trump if they could.

Comments

beckya.bsky.social•4 days ago

I think this is correct and it’s appalling

exiladomd.bsky.social•13 days ago

I think it was Matt Christman that defined Trump as "a tumor made of America" and holy shit is it proving true.

prostoserdov.bsky.social•13 days ago

"He talks about the bad immigrants. I am a good immigrant. I will prove it by voting for the one who condemns the bad immigrants." It's not irrational!

But most of my Venezuelan friends - here on TPS! - support Trump because they think he's strong and funny.

dsng480.bsky.social•4 days ago

I remember discussions of this phenomenon 40 years ago, as an explanation of support for Reagan among recent immigrants who did not
fit in culturally at all: “See? We’re Americans now - accept us.”

rowyourbot.bsky.social•3 days ago

For sure it’s aspirational. He’s a successful guy, they want to be successful. All the rich, successful people around them vote GOP. The Democrats often don’t bother to connect to them. For safety, etc. you don’t want to be an island of blue in a sea of red.

notincleveland.bsky.social•13 days ago

Truthfully, I prefer the days when my German grandmother became a huge fan of the Cleveland baseball team (which I shall not deadname) for what were probably similar reasons. After her naturalization, she attended a game with my mother and oldest sister on Citizenship Day at the ballpark.

emoscientist.bsky.social•13 days ago

One thing people don't understand about this debate is the extent to which immigration activism does political education and gives immigrants an alternative, more progressive identity. As well as the extent immigration activists hit a wall and burned out during the Biden admin.

publicuniversal.bsky.social•4 days ago

Biden trying to run to the right on immigration really screwed us all.

jamieinireland.bsky.social•4 days ago

In the comments of all the various posts of stories of tr@mp voters being screwed over by tr@mp’s (or DOGEbag’s) moves, I feel like the “turkeys who voted for thanksgiving” metaphor isn’t popping up nearly as often as I would have expected.

youfreakinnerd.bsky.social•13 days ago

Sheesh.

kycar.bsky.social•4 days ago

Flim flam is an international language.

lacycrawfordjr.bsky.social•4 days ago

Some people’s need to assimilate trumps their desire for a better life.

aoc.bsky.social•4 days ago

One of the factors that I think is underdiscussed is the precision w/ which GOP drove wedges on this issue.

Years of inaction on path to citizenship created a window for GOP to drum up resentment among the undocumented against recent arrivals/asylees. “We’ve been waiting longer” + siloed info diets

smphelan.bsky.social•3 days ago

Paula Ramos, who doesn't seem to be here on Bluesky yet, has done some brilliant reporting on this.
In fact she started raising the red flag after the 2020 election bc it was clear the GOP had started making inroads. So much to deal with in that pandemic era but we never caught up.

elchopo99.bsky.social•4 days ago

i hope when democrats eventually regain power, you move unilaterally to try and create humane solutions to immigration. republicans are not interested in helping, and will torpedo any efforts to fix this issue, because running on fear of immigrants is a core platform pillar for them

carighan.bsky.social•3 days ago

Bold of you to assume the state won't be prepped to allow non-fascist control in ~4 years, independent of the outcome.

They've already caused massively crippling changes, the idea being that any successor government spends all their time fighting fires all the time.

aoc.bsky.social•4 days ago

We try, though the politics of the country more broadly on this issue create real challenges to getting the votes. Dems from more moderate/conservative areas are very sensitive on this issue.

We may get DREAMers but I don’t know what else they’d support in the current environment. Endless cycle 🔁

kevin34.bsky.social•1 day ago

I think dem from those conservative areas should take a look at Andy beshear who is the governor of a very red state he vetoes bills that might be controversial in that state and he still won reelection

thoreauaway.bsky.social•4 days ago

It’s clear that, given how drastically public sentiment on immigration swings against each administration, and how few people it directly affects, that media frenzies whip up much of this fear. Are there thoughts on how Democrats can fight against oligarch-compromised media?

elchopo99.bsky.social•4 days ago

totally understand. as we've seen on other issues though, i think some of the challenges are simply because people dont truly understand what is at stake or how things work. i know the education process is a long and winding road. but we have to make progress. keep fighting the good fight

donjorizzy.bsky.social•3 days ago

https://www.univision.com/local/dallas-kuvn/madre-pide-investigar-la-muerte-de-su-hija-tras-presunto-acoso-en-escuela-de-gainesville-video

jagdc.bsky.social•2 days ago

Research & challenge if Trump Executive Orders are legal. An Executive Order is a directive by POTUS & subject to judicial review. 1st stack was put on desk&signed were written B-4 he was POTUS. Who is writing & reviewing them? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_order#:~:text=The%20ability%20to%20make%20such,being%20issued%20by%20the%20president.

tkenziebabe.bsky.social•2 days ago

Love you!

laureanne.bsky.social•2 days ago

Get all Dems to speak out on a few bullet points on one topic, across all their channels in sync. Otherwise it’s just drops in an info river.

I’m tired of just receiving email. What is this, the early 2000s? We’re losing the info wars. We aren’t even trying to counter their agitprop machine.

laureanne.bsky.social•3 days ago

Democrats if they had a clue would amplify this, in sync. South African billionaire cuts services and research for Americans, to pay for tax cuts to the wealthiest. Today it’s #Alzheimers #research and our scientists. This life saving #science yields financial benefits and local jobs. #nih #doge

anylength66.bsky.social•4 days ago

It's very cool to see you jump into this feed!

littlegreyrab.bsky.social•4 days ago

Part of the ‘endless cycle’ problem is unregulated media. For YEARS a Rupert Murdoch channel has been allowed to spew inflammatory and xenophobic anti-immigration rhetoric into millions of homes. It’s disinformation and propaganda and has irreparably harmed Americans’ understanding of their economy

cvicha.bsky.social•2 days ago

100%

dietbabka.bsky.social•4 days ago

I’ll add that Republicans have made immigrants a scapegoat for inequality. We need to refocus the message on the billionaires. Thank you for engaging on this

dietbabka.bsky.social•4 days ago

Democrats who support the Laken Riley Act and similar legislation are enabling Trump’s mass deportations. We need to push back hard against any demonization of immigrants of any status. Why isn’t Democratic leadership trying to stop this legislation now? We need a response that affirms humanity

ckjohnsonbk.bsky.social•3 days ago

As I understand it, immigration is one of the areas that the country is truly divided about. But still, there’s a case for leading, rather than following, people’s stated beliefs, especially when they contradict other values like openness and reward for hard work.

americanabroad.bsky.social•3 days ago

Yes, endless cycle because they've successfully dominated with their spin to their benefit.

clinsy2winsy.bsky.social•3 days ago

Protecting families is a winning issue! Sensitive dems abandoning immigrants is a catastrophic failure both morally and strategic/politically.

xusa.bsky.social•3 days ago

I hope our Project 2029 is well under way, if we ever get to vote again. Our response must be forceful. Guantanamo tribunals for traitors.

ogremkv.bsky.social•1 day ago

In other words, people are more interested in keeping their jobs than doing their jobs.

briansantacruz.bsky.social•3 days ago

So we’re stuck in a rut. Smart people like you need to help the party find a way out of it

lucindacatchlove.bsky.social•4 days ago

There are not going to be real elections in the US again.

cvicha.bsky.social•2 days ago

They opponent had a better propoganda strategy.

They offer free "news" to the masses through FB, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube all through pandemic and onwards. Russian bots on overtime.

#noamchomsky had it right, I think.

kencline.me•3 days ago

The GOP has The Heritage Foundation (HF), Fox Media, Sinclair Broadcasting, and many, many more entities shilling for them. HF has been planning for today's political environment for DECADES. Where is the left's infrastructure? The GOP's messaging is visceral, the left's cerebral-needs more emotion!

rodneynookey.bsky.social•3 days ago

The left doesn’t have a bunch of billionaires to fund such a thing. Majority of right wing media doesn’t talk about working class issues and just distracts people with cultural war crap. If you wanting the democrat party or donors to invest in actual left media good luck taking on donors lol

kencline.me•3 days ago

Right-wing media doesn't talk about issues, period. They talk in emotional triggers, which is why their messaging is so effective. Left-wing messaging is (somewhat) about issues. There are too many of them. Each targets a subset is the electorate. It's cerebral (requires thought), not emotional.

mariabustillos.bsky.social•3 days ago

Too little has been said about the Foxification of Univision.

ericcalifornia.bsky.social•3 days ago

Its owned by a right wing billionaire or is that the other network

mariabustillos.bsky.social•3 days ago

carolinabbfan.bsky.social•3 days ago

Spot on! Dems have missed not only the foxification of univision but weaponization of the trauma caused by dictatorships in latin america. Latinos are an easy target for far right conspiracy. A whole mess.

mariabustillos.bsky.social•3 days ago

So true.

stemxicaned.bsky.social•3 days ago

Todooooo eso 100%

hollyphantpants.bsky.social•3 days ago

A lot of these dictatorships were far right though…

carolinabbfan.bsky.social•3 days ago

oh I know but Cuba and Venezuela have represented "communism" for the longest time. Left bad, right good. This is what history books teaches us in our countries. Adding the chokehold christianity has over latinos.

echo4.bsky.social•4 days ago

Absolutely spot on 🎯

xmenez.bsky.social•4 days ago

If your talking about Venezuelans, Cubans, and Nicaraguans the answer is simple (they back any hardline anti communist talk, even if its empty rhetoric) an opportunity dems squandered for not backing dissidents.

annaliisavilppu.bsky.social•3 days ago

Turns out conmen make really good politicians.

vtrchris.bsky.social•3 days ago

I think the savviness of the first Trump campaign, in particular, is incredibly under discussed.

fightingmongeese.bsky.social•3 days ago

Democrats spent too much time on defense on immigration and other issues.

Time to be direct, clear, and not get sidetracked by arguments that are not worth addressing.

enforceoathofc2025.bsky.social•2 days ago

I send this message to ask you to get behind organizing an "Oath of Office" violation complaint submitted against each republican in congress. Each member would then receive them from their own constituents. File the complaint and send a copy to the office holder directly.

Protect an Oath of Office

ruleoflawlessness.bsky.social•4 days ago

I want to every bodega in my Brooklyn neighborhood and taught them the difference between a judicial and administrative warrant. Thanks for leading

clinsy2winsy.bsky.social•3 days ago

Highlighting this -“years of inaction was the mistake”(!)

I desperately want to see action and see these dems fight like it’s their people that are being hunted and sent on planes to Guantanamo.

bright1.bsky.social•3 days ago

Try taking off your rose coloured glasses for Netanyahu providing war support for Israel. It’s your complicity, the world is paying for. You turned your vitriol on young students with conscience & fair minded folk with abhorrence of the Genocide - and lost … and how! No mention of same however.

sknowsthatp.bsky.social•4 days ago

Regarding the siloed info diets, nearly all Dem campaign strategists had (and probably still have) no idea about the importance of radio to these communities ⬇️

reuxben.bsky.social•3 days ago

I know for sure at least @jonfavs.bsky.social and @danpfeiffer.bsky.social of @podsaveamerica.crooked.com were warned for years by Equis Research that Hispanic voters were being R-targeted down to buying radio stations & they happily did nothing to help cultivate at least a Hispanic-geared podcast.

sknowsthatp.bsky.social•3 days ago

FOR YEARS. And when Twitter was still functioning I saw one of them get very defensive and snotty about it too when someone brought it to their attention 🙄

drmarinaarcher.bsky.social•3 days ago

Same wedges between ppl that make $15 per hour vs the ones on federal minimum wage.

They don't want to feel like the "inferior people" are suddenly as "qualified" as they are so they oppose increasing min wage.

Which is NOT the point.

doomforpresident.bsky.social•4 days ago

One part of this is that, at least in my part of the country we are so far behind the GOP in Spanish-language media it’s like we’re not even contesting. Republicans control the entire field.

modernnaturaltales.bsky.social•3 days ago

What are the Dems spending to invest in Spanish-language outreach and USAID style engagement?

ositanwanevu.bsky.social•4 days ago

That makes a lot of sense to me! All the more reason to reinvigorate the push for comprehensive reform again rather than ceding the issue to the right. I hope folks on the Hill are on the case!

bwreed.bsky.social•4 days ago

They can't be bothered to raise a stink about mass purges at law enforcement as agencies no way they'll stick their necks out on this.

sumoh7.bsky.social•3 days ago

Similarly, wedges were driven by GOP between recent US Citizens vs newer arrivals.

squawman1.bsky.social•3 days ago

🤢 Too, too sick.

la4ygogo.bsky.social•4 days ago

Maybe they could just shop at Target and watch join their kids' schools Parent Teacher Association

aeliskandar.bsky.social•3 days ago

You might mention how well that worked for Jews with the Nazis.

timwiseman.bsky.social•3 days ago

For what it is worth, as a citizen, I thoroughly oppose Trump and believe his actions are counter to what America should be.

leftinfighter.bsky.social•13 days ago

leebeckerartist.bsky.social•3 days ago

I was thinking that too. I have seen that behavior in immigrants who try to buddy up to me, a white person, by badmouthing nonwhite people, thinking I will agree with them. I don’t.

drag0n0bsessi0n.bsky.social•4 days ago

I think it was partly because he said he would only deport criminals, which of course was a lie

themstems.bsky.social•4 days ago

Not so much a lie but perhaps buried the fact that in his administration’s view, being undocumented = illegal = everyone who is undocumented is a criminal

docjoe1986.bsky.social•4 days ago

Interesting.

annabellelecter.bsky.social•3 days ago

Racism and sexism are such a huge part of the American identity and that's what these people chose to connect with.

Trump and Vance said immigrants were eating pets.

I am out of empathy for people who don't have empathy.

javier.heredia.social•4 days ago

I'm a Cuban in Florida and it's not that complicated. They associate Democrat support for government programs with the governmental corruption from their countries and assume it's the same here. So they vote for the party who will remove those programs and thus remove roadblocks from their success.

javier.heredia.social•4 days ago

They don't care if Trump is corrupt, because his kind of corrupt will benefit them in their minds. The idea that Trump will remove other immigrants is attractive to them because they see it as less competition for the same dollars they want.

plankysmith.bsky.social•3 days ago

Huh

theahaykid.bsky.social•4 days ago

Which is made an even more asinine thought process by the fact that he is a *historically* unpopular president.

sugarcanebook.bsky.social•13 days ago

It's like all of those people in Commonwealth countries who still love the British Monarchy, miss the Queen and see UK as the motherland. To understand the true horror of their history and predicament is so incomprehensible that it's easier to believe that they are indeed an inferior unworthy race.

winniethewitch.bsky.social•3 days ago

The horrible thing is it might well be true!

There's often a (false) belief among oppressed groups that spitting on another even more marginalized group is the way to get in with the 'in crowd.'

Spoiler alert-it doesn't really work.

freefran.bsky.social•3 days ago

Remember a Palestinian voting Brexit saying the exact same thing. You see when it comes down to it, no matter where anyone is from, unless they are educated in the overriding geopolitical facts, they are still ignorant of the fact only decent democratic-run countries do actually care and mean well.

johnbrownbread.bsky.social•4 days ago

Never in history has this strategy worked. Hitler killed the jews who did the same

mskanin.bsky.social•4 days ago

🥲

graberp.bsky.social•4 days ago

Wonder if they’ll be saying the same thing in 2028? 🤔

cdwilsher.bsky.social•4 days ago

Immigrant and minority men are less likely to vote for a woman. All this other stuff is about finding a rationale for not voting for a woman.

hillenjoyer.bsky.social•4 days ago

less likely than who

cdwilsher.bsky.social•4 days ago

Women.

annaluna.bsky.social•3 days ago

The idea that Trump is so closely aligned with “American identity” is crazy.

annabellelecter.bsky.social•3 days ago

It makes so much sense to me. We 😘 love frauds and charlatans https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2015/10/09/tom-brady-alex-guerrero-neurosafe/

cjevans.bsky.social•4 days ago

What are you going to do about it?

fleetwoodyak.bsky.social•4 days ago

So, it's Stockholm Syndrome?

publicuniversal.bsky.social•4 days ago

See: how the Irish became white

pwnedlib.bsky.social•13 days ago

Anything to avoid ascribing their complicity in what’s happening

bassofpj.bsky.social•13 days ago

Yes. It's the "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" and "Prosperity Gospel" all rolled into one. The idea that "rich=morally & ethically good" is so pervasive and core to the "American Identity" that people come here and think that's what they gotta do. The When in Rome shit...

jordandarkly.bsky.social•4 days ago

this has nothing to do with the pressures immigrants face to assimilate, which has a long history of conservative results

immigrants who fight for immigrants are seen as having dual loyalties at best

neilanderthal.bsky.social•4 days ago

We have plenty of delusional voters here now ... go back to where you came from.

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