Hispanics In America 2017: Nearly Half Worry About Deportation

Nearly half of Hispanics worry they or someone close to them will be deported and 40 percent citing serious concerns about their place in the U.S., a Pew Research Center survey indicates.

There are some 57 million Hispanics in the United States, the fastest-growing demographic group in the country. Some 66 percent were born here, and 30 percent of Hispanics born elsewhere are lawful permanent residents.

Trump has raised anxiety in the community with his plans to deport the estimated 11 million immigrants, most of them Hispanic, in the United States illegally and his plans to build a massive wall along the border with Mexico.

Hispanic immigrants without U.S. citizenship or green cards were more likely to express concern than those born in the U.S. or those with permanent residency, the Pew survey released Thursday indicated. Fifty-five percent of unauthorized immigrants expressed concern compared to 38 percent of U.S.-born Hispanics.

Nearly half of Hispanics, 49 percent, said they don’t see a change in the situation for Hispanics compared to a year ago while 32 percent said the situation has worsened, and 16 percent said the situation has improved. The percentage of those who perceive a worsening situation has increased 15 percent since 2013.

Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of the 1,001 Hispanics surveyed Dec. 7-Jan. 15 said the government’s top priority should be protecting the country from terrorist attacks (69 percent), followed by the economy (66 percent). Healthcare and immigration reform were cited by 54 percent and 46 percent of those queried, respectively.

Forty-seven percent of respondents said, regardless of their own status, they worry “a lot” or “some” about themselves or someone close to them being deported.

Forty percent said they think Trump will be a poor or terrible president while 28 percent said he will be average, and 22 percent said he would be good or great. Among Hispanic Republicans, 53 percent said Trump would be good or great while 58 percent of Hispanic Democrats said Trump would be poor or terrible.