Hispanics in Pasadena Look At Trump Presidency with Concern

PASADENA, TX -- The campaign promises of a once-dark horse presidential candidate were enough to cause a stir less than a year ago, but now that the fiery candidate is the 45th President of the United States, some Hispanics in Pasadena and other Houston area communities are concerned about the attitude of racism permeating their community.

Miriam Rodriguez, who has been in the U.S. since coming over with her parents when she was only 5, is upset at the rhetoric that she feels only divides a community.

“It’s sad, really. I’ve worked hard, and my parents who became American citizens, they worked hard too,” she said.

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Her father, Humberto died of cancer in 2005, and words like this would have angered him, she said.

Miriam, who has an associates degree, and works for an accounting firm in Houston, said she understands both sides of the issue, and has tried to explain things to her young children, who’ve heard the fear of deportation from their friends at school.

Last year, Donald Trump was part of a crowded field of Republican presidential candidates who were looking to edge out all the others on the road to the Republican nomination.

During his campaign, Trump pledged to build a wall on the southern U.S. border and make Mexico pay for the wall, and deport illegal aliens coming over from Mexico.

"He's said a lot of things, but we don't what he will do. When politicians are fighting and campaigning, they make promises,” Yolanda Rodriguez told the Houston Chronicle. “We have to wait to see if he will do something good. He is the new president and we have to accept him and there's nothing else we can do."

Along with his promise, Trump made what many considered racists or disparaging comments about Hispanics, which enraged the Hispanic community.

The message created tension between those who feel a wall will help thwart illegal immigration, and Hispanics.

“I don’t like that Donald Trump is saying all these bad things about Mexicans, because part of my family is Mexican and I feel very offended (by his words) because I know it’s not true,” Lolly Chambers, 11, who supported Hillary Clinton.

While some take the Trump comments with a grain of salt, others are expecting a racial backlash as a result of a Trump presidency.
Joey Rivera, 18, said he isn't very optimistic and wonders if some of Trump's campaign rhetoric could have a trickle-down effect on local attitudes.

"Nowadays you can't go anywhere or do anything and have to watch everything you do," he said. "With everything we've hearing from Trump, its going to be worse. It's upsetting."

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