US Elections Latin America Impact

In the wake of midterm elections, President Donald Trump said his immigration crackdown may have been “too tough” and suggested it was time to sit down with the Democrats. Despite those misgivings, immigration arrests have continued unabated. In Los Angeles, a line of immigration officers in masks and body armor blocked the entrance to a hospital emergency room in a heavily Latino neighborhood early Saturday. In the hills of central Alabama, twin 19-year-old brothers from Venezuela were arrested at a traffic stop heading back to college the day after elections.

Analysts are examining how recent Democratic wins in the U.S. midterm elections might impact Latin America during President Donald Trump's final two years. Initial signals from the White House have been mixed, especially on immigration. Deportations are set to continue, but some Texas cities plan to limit cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In Mexico, pressure on cartels may increase with joint U.S.-Mexico operations expected to continue. Venezuela and Cuba remain key focuses, with Democrats pushing for investigations into oil deals and elections. Economic policies may see adjustments, but tariffs are likely to remain a tool for political leverage.

Democrats who swept into power fueled by voter backlash to President Donald Trump are now pitching ways to collaborate with the Republican in the White House. They are playing to Trump's love of making deals to propel their agenda. New Michigan Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed has suggested “TrumpCare,” a golden insurance card with universal healthcare, dangling the president’s name on the ambitious Democratic proposal. Texas Sen.-elect James Talarico says Trump could go down in history like Lyndon B. Johnson, who was seen as a master of congressional dealmaking. It's a political as well as practical strategy, and a way to try to avoid having Trump just veto all their ideas.