Could Trump’s Policies End Up Helping the Latino Brand?

An Alternative Perspective on Mass Deportations

I expect to get some heat for the title of this blog, but I hope you hear me out. Deportations could ultimately benefit Latinos in the long run, and here is how.

Donald Trump’s central promise throughout his presidential campaign was to enact mass deportations on a scale the country has never seen. Trump repeatedly characterized undocumented people as criminals and animals. I hated that because, for one, it’s not true. The large majority of undocumented immigrants are decent, hard-working people desperate for a better life in America.

However, there are also some bad apples, violent criminals that not only terrorize our communities but also damage the image of Latinos in America. Trump promised to prioritize criminals in his deportation plans. In the first few weeks in office, the data shows that about half of the people deported thus far have criminal records – so it’s unclear if things are playing out the way he said they would, but I hope they do. I also hope he deports white undocumented criminals, not just Black and Hispanic ones.

Latinos are the only ethnic group that has fought for the U.S. in every war since the Revolutionary War. They also have the highest workforce participation rate among all demographics. Latinos are God-fearing, hard-working, and patriotic people; however, if you weren’t aware and relied solely on the media and politicians for information about Latinos, you might think Latinos are a community filled with troubles—plagued by a mountain of legal and financial problems. When, in reality, the opposite is true. Let’s be honest; undocumented criminals contribute to the persistence of this negative narrative.

Reviewing DEI Can Be Good for Latinos

Little debate exists about whether companies with cultural and language skill sets will gain a competitive advantage in the coming years. The Trump administration also understands this reality. To their credit, the Trump campaign likely spent more money on Spanish language ads than any other presidential campaign in history. They understood the value of Latino voters more than their opposition did, and so do the smartest companies.

This week, there was a lot of news about Pam Bondi, the United States Attorney General, who has directed her team to initiate criminal investigations into private companies and universities with DEI programs, which, let me be clear, I believe is unfortunate. Still, ironically, the net result of this investigative process will be more clarity and transparency to the current administration and corporations on their respective boundaries. In other words, both sides will know what they legally can and cannot do.

Bondi points to the Supreme Court ruling that outlawed affirmative action in college admissions as the legal basis to force the end of private DEI programs. Last fall, Yale University reported that in their first year after the elimination of affirmative action, Black and Hispanic freshman enrollment actually increased slightly. While there will be some short-term setbacks, I expect a similar outcome for corporate America.

I would even double down. If companies are required to substantiate their investments in Hispanic markets, they will likely invest more. The data is on our side. In housing, Hispanics are projected to account for 70% of homeownership gains over the next 20 years, serving as the main growth drivers for an industry that contributes 16% to the U.S. GDP. Corporations are there to make money, and they aren’t going to ignore 20% of the market and 70% of the growth. If they do, smaller competitors will be more than happy to scoop up that market share. My bet is that companies will not leave money on the table.

I doubt Donald Trump cares about improving the image of Latinos, but if we keep pushing forward and seize the opportunities as they come our way, it is possible that his policies could ultimately improve the Latino Brand in America. The wind is at our back; we need to stay the course.