Latinos Serve in ICE and Back Restrictive Immigration Policies, Study Finds

Since Trump’s return, ICE-related deaths have topped 60, including two Latino victims, while a significant share of Latino Americans work for ICE and have historically supported hard-line immigration measures.

Over 60 people have died in ICE custody since Donald Trump returned to the presidency, including Latino immigrants Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston and Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Maine. While many Latinos feel targeted by immigration enforcement, a sizable portion serve within it, now forming a majority of Border Patrol officers and about 20-30% of ICE agents. This involvement reflects a longer history of Latino support for restrictive immigration policies, from 1950s backing of Operation Wetback to mixed attitudes toward Proposition 187 and strong backing of Trump in 2016 and 2024, especially among men in border regions.

Scholars cite labor competition, desire for belonging, and appeals to security as motivations. The piece also highlights that figures such as Enrique Tarrio and Nick Fuentes illustrate how right-wing movements have embraced leaders of color who share anti-immigration views. Ultimately, Latino participation in anti-immigration politics is presented as a longstanding, complex phenomenon rather than a paradox.