Today, as Vice President Biden announced a sweeping agenda for the Latinx community to ensure that everyone has a chance to join the middle class, including Latinx people, Donald Trump’s assault on Latinx Americans came into sharper focus. From day one of his first presidential campaign, Trump has sought to cast Latinx people as less than American, a strategy he’s continued throughout his presidency by doing everything possible to block progress for the Latinx community.
“Donald Trump’s presidency has been a catastrophe for the Latinx community in Maine,” said Maine Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Marra. “From his corporate tax giveaway that favored the wealthy while leaving out the majority of Latinx families, to his botched pandemic response that has fallen disproportionately on the Latinx community, to his cruel immigration policies, Trump has left Latinx families in Maine behind. While Trump continues to divide and demonize Latinx Americans, it’s critical that we send Joe Biden and his comprehensive plan to invest in the Latinx community to the White House this November.”
BACKGROUND ON TRUMP’S BROKEN PROMISES TO THE LATINX COMMUNITY
Promise: Trump: “I’m going to fight to give every Hispanic citizen in this country a much better future, a much better life, and they know it.” [Trump Campaign Rally, Tampa FL, 8/24/16]
Reality: Trump’s failed response to COVID-19 disproportionately impacted the Latinx community. Data shows that Latinx Americans have been three times more likely to contract the virus as white Americans, and twice as likely to die. Latinx workers have faced higher than average unemployment due to the economic damage caused by the pandemic, and minority-owned businesses have disproportionately been forced to close.
Reality: Trump’s tax cut was great for folks like him, but it left out Latinx families. Despite making up 18% of the US population, Latinx Americans received only about 7% of the benefits from Trump’s tax law. The average tax cut for Latinx households was less than half that of the average white household.
Reality: Trump has abandoned Latinx college students, who are disproportionately burdened by student loans. Latinx students have a student loan default rate of 13%, compared with 9% for white students. They’d be disproportionately impacted by Trump’s proposed cuts to college affordability programs.
Reality: Trump has cruelly torn apart Latinx families. Trump illegally rescinded the DACA program, creating confusion and panic for DREAMers, including nearly 100 DACA recipients here in Maine. After the Supreme Court rejected the Trump Administration’s attempt to end the DACA program, Trump halted new applications to the program, denying thousands of childhood arrivals to this country an opportunity to succeed.
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