Georgia Hispanic voters react to a debate that often centered on immigration

Trump’s assertion that the border is considered the most dangerous place in the world.

The border would go on to be one of the night’s most talked-about topics, with Trump repeatedly steering his answers back to his opponent’s record on immigration — the number of illegal border crossings reached record highs during the Biden administration — and painting migrants as dangerous criminals.

David Martinez, who was at the watch party wearing a hat that read ‘Hispanics for Trump,’ said he found the former president “direct and confident in his answers and his responses,” a contrast to Biden’s “frailness.”

He said Republicans like him aren’t opposed to immigration in principle, but they’d like it to take place in a more controlled way.

“We want people from other countries. We need people from other countries. But there has to be a process, and they should be able to follow that process.”

Despite the unprecedented flows of illegal border crossings in recent years, Trump’s assertion of an open border under Biden is false. During his administration, Biden has rolled out restrictions on people’s ability to come and seek asylum that are widely perceived as being among the most restrictive of any Democrat in the White House.

Trump’s continued conflation of migrants with criminals and terrorists was also misleading.

While some individuals who entered the country illegally have gone on to commit violent crimes, including here in Georgia, data shows that a vast majority of immigrants don’t. According to a Northwestern University study published earlier this year, immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than U.S.-born citizens.

Julio Clavijo, 42, said he was “ticked off” by comments made by Trump about immigrants. Clavijo lives in Norcross and works as a product manager in the software industry. He said he was born in Peru, moved to the states with he was 3 years old, and is a U.S. citizen.

He said he understands there are concerns about illegal immigration, but said, “There’s no reason to demonize people who are coming over here for opportunity. That’s my big issue with Trump.”

But Clavijo said more than anything, he was deeply disappointed by Biden’s performance at the debate, and that’s what stuck with him the most. “It’s like his abilities aren’t there anymore. I feel bad because I don’t want to vote for Trump.”

He joins a growing chorus of people who are saying a change in candidate is needed.

“I think it’s almost a blessing they had the debate before the convention. It’s an opportunity to make a pivot quickly and put someone out there who could actually beat Trump.”

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