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leader, the United States now faces new global challenges, fueling nationalist and anti-immigrant sentiments across the political spectrum. This election cycle has seen a sharp rise in anti-immigrant and anti-Black rhetoric, echoing the grim historical precedents of the Great Depression and other times of national economic stress, when marginalized groups were often scapegoated. For many in immigrant communities, this rhetoric is triggering, stirring up painful memories of violence and exclusion — from lynchings to more recent policies that demonize entire communities. As we decide where to place our support, many of us are acutely aware of the stakes for our safety, rights, and well-being.
The rhetoric from right-wing circles, particularly the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, is amplifying sentiments of racism and xenophobia, positioning immigrants as scapegoats for issues ranging from inflation to crime. Caribbean and Latin American immigrants, including Mexican and Haitian communities, find themselves at the center of this hostility, repeatedly labeled as criminals and societal “misfits.”
Many in New York and other progressive states are warning against complacency; this election has become a battle for the very existence of public education and essential services, with MAGA forces attacking Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs and pushing privatization measures.
Trump’s agenda, which includes proposals to eliminate the Department of Education, threatens to undercut federal support for public schools, which have historically been foundational to the nation’s growth and equity. And has been the wellspring of upward mobility for many immigrant groups. Many immigrants are the mainstay of the Public School system as students, custodians, teachers, administrators, and bus drivers, especially in large school districts such as New York City and Broward County, Florida.
Map showing the outflow of remittances from the US to other countries in 2012.
The Harris-Walz ticket, meanwhile, is striving to appeal to these communities with promises of protection, inclusion, and expansion of immigrant rights, painting the 2024 election as a crucial decision point for all Americans — particularly those vulnerable to anti-immigrant policies.
For Caribbean and Latin American countries, Trump’s proposal for large-scale deportations also poses a stark economic threat—to their countries of origin as well as to the US. Remittances, for example, reached a record $155 billion in 2023 and are a lifeline for countries across the region, especially Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Guyana. Donald Trump has referred to remittances to developing countries as “welfare”; to Mexico, he has threatened to leverage it with the proposed southern border wall.
Massive deportation wave would devastate these economies where remittances are essential for daily survival and investment in sectors such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
Among the reasons for the vast settlements of Caribbean and Latin American migrants (authorized and unauthorized) in the US are cultural imperialism, unfair global trade arrangements, on the one hand, and great power destabilization of nationalist and other self-deterministic projects.
Country Remittances (US$ Million)
| Guyana | $361 M |
| Trinidad & Tobago | $178 M |
| Barbados | $108 M |
| Belize | $93 M |
| Dominica | $49 M |
| Grenada | $48 M |
| St. Vincent and the Grenadines | $44 M |
| St. Lucia | $41 M |
| St. Kitts and Nevis | $26 M |
| Antigua & Barbuda | $25 M |
This table presents an overview of 2020 remittance values for each listed country in millions of U.S. dollars.
https://caricom.org/haiti-and-jamaica-account-for-86-2-of-caricom-remittances/
These factors have made the 2024 Presidential elections matters of international concern, raising questions of economic and social stability beyond U.S. borders. But domestically, for immigrants, workers, and communities of color, this election poses a serious choice: to support leaders who stand for inclusivity and equity or to face policies that align with corporate interests and exclusionary ideologies.
Which side are you on?
Martin P. Felix is co-editor of Big Drum Nation. A visual artist and educator, he lives with his family in New York City.