LAS VEGAS — Shortly after Donald Trump voiced familiar warnings about drug traffickers and criminals entering the U.S. illegally during a campaign event on Saturday, he heard from a man who once inhabited that gray area of legality but now intends to support him.
Elias Trujillo was among several speakers at a Latino roundtable held in Las Vegas, showcasing Trump’s economic perspectives. After Trump’s remarks to a small crowd in a cosmetics company warehouse, the roundtable participants spoke, and Trujillo began sharing his life story. He recounted how, in 1995, his mother brought him and his siblings from northern Mexico to Utah to reunite with their father, who was working in construction.
“We came here legally, but you know, we overstayed, and we were able to make life here in the United States,” Trujillo stated, indicating that they had entered on a legal visa but remained after it expired.
His anecdote prompted laughter and applause from the audience, to which Trujillo responded with humor, acknowledging the situation as “funny.” Trump smiled as he listened to him.
This exchange underscored the complex interplay of facts and rhetoric surrounding immigration in Trump’s campaign. These contrasts became even more pronounced as Trump has sought to gain support from Latino voters while simultaneously promoting a dark narrative around immigration issues.
Trump has referred to migrants as “poisoning the blood” of the nation, labeled the recent surge at the border as an “invasion,” and vowed to implement mass deportations if he returns to the presidency.
In a previous appearance in Aurora, Colorado, Trump ominously commented on a Venezuelan gang’s activities in a city of 400,000 that has attracted many migrants. However, the local Republican mayor asserted that Trump was exaggerating an isolated issue.
On Saturday, after critiquing border policies, Trump transitioned to highlighting the strengths of the Latino community he aimed to engage.
“Hispanic people — they say you can’t generalize, but I think you can — they have wonderful entrepreneurship, and oh, do you have such energy. Just ease up a little bit, OK? Ease up,” Trump remarked. “You have great ambition, very smart, and you really do, like natural entrepreneurs.”
Historically, Trump has maneuvered through the apparent conflict between his immigration warnings and his appeal to Latino voters since he started his first campaign with remarks about “rapists” crossing the southern border. Many Hispanic voters have either entered the U.S. legally or come from families with deep roots in the country, often opposing illegal immigration.
The former president has maintained that his policies could benefit Latinos and other minority groups, occasionally suggesting, despite contrary economic evidence, that immigrants are taking jobs from Black and Hispanic individuals. According to a recent AP-NORC Center for Public Opinion Research poll, approximately 80% of Hispanic voters cite the economy as one of the top issues in the current election cycle.
Hispanic voters reportedly hold similar favorable perspectives towards both Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, who is his Democratic rival. During the discussion, Trujillo mentioned that he had been cautious about Trump initially but has since come to support him.
He elaborated on how his lack of legal status previously made him apprehensive about his potential achievements, yet he felt compelled to “make the best of my life,” ultimately graduating high school, marrying, and raising two children, now aged 12 and 5.
Trujillo opened a restaurant, which he said is currently facing challenges due to rising labor and goods costs, expressing hope that Trump can lead the way to an improved economy.
“I’m happy with the opportunity that Trump has again to run and hopefully get us back on track,” Trujillo stated. “I think there’s room to make America greater.”
Following the event, Trujillo shared in an interview that although his parents overstayed their visas, they eventually achieved legal status. Similarly, he has been a U.S. citizen since 2011.
He conveyed that he now understands Trump’s strong stance against illegal entry into the country, particularly regarding concerns over drug and human trafficking. However, he also expressed, without prompting, support for a pathway to legal status for those already living in the country illegally, especially people like him who have adhered to the law and built a life.
“I mean, not an easy pathway, perhaps,” he suggested. “But there should be a pathway for the ones that are already here illegally, but who have created a life.”
This proposal has been a key component of immigration reform debates for many years, often labeled “amnesty” by stricter immigration proponents. Opposition to such measures has been a significant factor in Trump’s political ascent.