MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Members of the Latino community in rural Wisconsin say they are willing to give President-elect Donald Trump a chance, despite campaign promises to deport those in the country illegally.
About 500 of the 2,300 residents in Abbotsford, a mostly conservative city, are Latino and work at jobs ranging from dairy farms to radio stations, Wisconsin Public Radio (https://bit.ly/2gF0efH) reported.
Alejandro Vazquez, who runs the internet radio station El Primerito and newspaper Noticias in the town, said he doesn’t believe Trump will go through with his deportation promise.
“This is not the first time that we have a new president,” Vazquez said. “For years and years, we have different presidents, Republicans and Democrats. And they promise many, many things. And they don’t do it.” Vazquez, who grew up in Mexico City, is working toward becoming a U.S. citizen.
Tony Gonzalez, an interpreter who helps Latinos navigate the criminal justice system, said he is not surprised that 29 percent of Latinos supported Trump nationwide because many of them are socially conservative. While he was troubled by Trump’s campaign rhetoric, Gonzalez said third or fourth-generation Latino-Americans are more concerned about the economy than immigration.
“We share values that are very similar to the Christian principles that the United States was founded under,” he said. “Everybody wants to be a part of it and not have to hide.”
Gonzalez said even if Hispanic people give Trump a chance, legislators should still condemn hate speech.
___
Information from: Wisconsin Public Radio, https://www.wpr.org
Please read our comment policy before commenting.