Survey respondents were also concerned about the rights of immigrants, tactics used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the state's recent cooperation with the controversial federal agency, results show.
"You see 20 percent of all Latino respondents identify protecting immigrant rights and immigration reform," Gabe Sanchez, a researcher involved in the survey, said during a presentation of the results on Wednesday, August 20. "That's one in five Latinos in Colorado identifying immigration reform and protecting immigrants in this very, very challenging climate."
Colorado is home to about 1.3 million Latinos, which is about a quarter of the state's population, while Hispanic is the second largest self-identified ethnic group behind non-Hispanic whites, according to the Colorado State Demography Office.
The Latino Policy Agenda is meant to shed light on "the demographic makeup and views of Latinos in Colorado on pressing policy, political, and other relevant issues," according to this year's report. From July 10 to August 6, this year's survey asked 1,700 Colorado Latinos by phone and online what the most important issues are to them. About 450 responses were collected in Spanish.
Economic Struggles, Healthcare Costs, Immigration
Latinos who took the survey reported that the cost of living, improving wages and lowering healthcare costs should be prioritized by Congress and Trump. Respondents were asked to pick their top three issues and were given options like reducing crime, creating affordable housing and protecting immigrant rights.Addressing the rising cost of living and improving wages and income were both selected by 33 percent of respondents, and lowering healthcare costs was selected by around 25 percent. Sanchez says that economic concerns have been the top concern for Latinos in the survey for four years in a row.
The most common pick after healthcare cost was "protecting immigrant rights/immigration reform," which was selected by 20 percent of respondents. This was higher in Congressional District 5, a Republican stronghold in Colorado Springs, and Congressional District 6 in Aurora. In both districts, immigration rights or reform was a top priority for 26 percent of respondents.
Most Latinos Blame Trump for Putting U.S. in "Wrong Direction"
Around 40 percent of those surveyed said they voted for Kamala Harris in 2024, while 28 percent voted for Trump and 24 percent didn't vote. When asked if "things are going in the right direction" for the country as a whole, about 53 percent of the respondents said it's headed in the wrong direction. According to Sanchez, the results show this is driven by Trump's policies.Among those who said that the country is headed in the wrong direction, about 66 percent of them said that it's because of "policies approved by President Trump."
"The take-home message is that Trump is obviously a very polarizing figure," he said. "Trump is the dominant force for how people perceive the country is moving."
Only 5 percent of respondents blamed policies by former President Joe Biden, and about 4 percent blamed policies supported by congressional Democrats. About 8 percent said congressional Republicans are the problem while 11 percent pointed their finger at "corporations and billionaires." About 6 percent of participants said they don't know who's to blame.
About 38 percent of Latinos in the poll said that the U.S. is headed in the right direction, and 9 percent said they don't know. Of those who like the country's direction, about half of them said Trump's policies are to thank, but around the same amount said it's because of Biden's, and 16 percent gave credit to congressional Democrats.
About 8 percent of particpants said congressional Republicans are the reason the U.S. is head in the right direction, and 3 percent credited corporations and billionaires. About 5 percent said they don't know.
Latinos Largely Like the Direction Colorado is Headed In
When asked if the State of Colorado is headed in the right direction, about 54 percent of respondents and more than half of Latinos surveyed in each Congressional District said yes.
"Latinos across the state realize you've got a little pocket of heaven in Colorado," Sanchez said. "Although things aren't moving in the right direction overall in the country, there are much brighter and rosier opinions as it pertains to their state and local government."
The survey asked Latinos how effective different elected officials have been at addressing the important issues in Colorado's Latino communities.
The majority said that Governor Jared Polis has been "somewhat" or "very" effective. About 23 percent said he's been "very effective," 28 percent said he was "somewhat effective," and 18 percent said he was at least "moderately effective."
They were less favorable towards the state legislature, however. Only about 15 percent said the Colorado Assembly is "very effective," 28 percent labeled it "somewhat effective," and 20 percent rated it "moderately effective." About 24 percent said that Republicans in the Colorado Assembly are "not effective at all," and 29 percent said the state's Democratic lawmakers are "somewhat effective."
Trust in Law Enforcement, State Agencies
In June it was revealed through a lawsuit that Governor Polis ordered state employees to hand over personal identifying information to ICE. (A judge halted the order after Polis was sued and the lawsuit makes its way through court.)That news surfaced only a month before the Latino Policy Agenda Survey, which asked respondents who they trust to keep their personal information safe from ICE. The majority of respondents had little trust in the state, although Polis was still viewed favorably.
About 53 percent of respondents said they don't trust state agencies to "keep your data safe and not share it with ICE," and about 53 percent they don't trust local police to "not collaborate or share data with ICE," with more than 60 percent in congressional districts located in the Western Slope, Colorado Springs and Aurora, all areas with a high number of Republican voters.
Respondents still trust clinics and hospitals, however, with 61 percent saying they trust that their data won't be shared with ICE.
Colorado Latinos Don't Like ICE's Tactics
Colorado has already been the site of three large raids by ICE and hundreds of arrests, including 243 in one week in mid-July. Federal agents have reportedly made these arrests while covering their faces with masks and by bursting into residences with flash and smoke grenades.The survey asked if "ICE agents should be allowed to cover their faces with masks to hide their identities," and 56 percent disagreed. About 62 percent disagreed with the idea that "ICE agents should be allowed to stop anyone they suspect of being undocumented, even if that means some Latino citizens may also be targeted for questioning."
Respondents strongly believed all law enforcement should be easy to ID and hold accountable. About 84 percent agreed that "all law enforcement officers operating in the state of Colorado should always identify themselves, wear body cameras, drive clearly marked vehicles and treat everyone with dignity and respect."
History of the Latino Policy Agenda
Voces Unidas, a Glenwood Springs-based nonpartisan group that urges Latinos to vote, spearheads the survey each year alongside the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR). The survey is conducted by BSP Research, a firm contracted by Voces Unidas and COLOR. The Latino Policy Agenda has been around for five years, which makes it about the same age as the Pulse Poll, a similarly sized statewide survey. Both polls found heightened concern about the government this year and that cost of living has been a constant stress during the past few years.
