Majority of Black and Latino Americans feel like strangers in their own country, poll finds
Black and Latino Americans are reporting record levels of alienation and pessimism about the nation’s direction, as President Trump tightens his focus on immigration enforcement and civil rights rollbacks, per a new poll.
Why it matters: More Latinos and Black voters supported Trump in 2024 than in his two previous presidential runs, but early into his second term the sense of exclusion has deepened among communities of color.
The big picture: Nearly two-thirds of Americans believe the U.S. is headed in the wrong direction, fueled by dissatisfaction with Trump’s impact on the economy and immigration, according to a survey by the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) and the Brookings Institution.
By the numbers: Of all racial groups, Black Americans (84%) and Latinos (70%) are the most dissatisfied with the country’s direction, according to the poll that surveyed Americans on religion, values and moods.
- In addition, 60% of Black Americans and 51% of Latinos say their economic situation has worsened this year.
- Over half of Black (53%) and Latino (56%) respondents say they feel like “strangers in their own country” — a record high in the poll’s 16-year history.
- Only 16% of Black Americans and 30% of Latinos view Trump favorably.
In contrast, around half of white Americans (48%) hold favorable views of the president.
- Only 41% of white Americans reported feeling like feel like a stranger in their own country.
Between the lines: Since January, the Trump administration has reinterpreted civil rights laws and history to focus on “anti-white racism.”
- The administration has also been purging and rewriting stories about slavery and discrimination that appear on federal web pages, and Trump has ordered a review of Smithsonian museums to purge what he’s called “woke” ideology.
- Meanwhile, ICE agents have been accused of racially profiling Latinos and detaining a number of Latino U.S. citizens during raids.
Zoom in: Black Americans list health care, racial inequality and democracy’s health as top concerns.
- Latinos prioritize immigration, jobs and economic stability.
- Both groups overwhelmingly disapprove of Trump’s handling of immigration raids and deportations.
Caveat: The survey was conducted before Politico reported this month on thousands of private messages by young GOP leaders joking about gas chambers, slavery and rape. [Continue reading…]