The State of the Union left a sense of disappointment in Latinos who watched the speech

Local elected officials and community leaders gathered in Commerce to watch President Donald Trump’s  State of the Union address  on Tuesday evening. While his speech was predictable, some participants at the watch party were hoping for something better. 

However, at the end of the speech, the constant response from viewers was the same: “disappointment.” 

While Trump spoke about a “bigger, better, richer and stronger” nation, there was a disconnection from reality, according to some participants. 

“Inflation is plummeting, incomes are rising fast. The roaring economy is roaring like never before,” Trump said during his opening remarks.

Meanwhile, at the AltaMed headquarters in Commerce, community member Emanuel Carrera said the president is completely out of touch, mainly when he didn’t really bring up topics such as homelessness, education or the environment, but instead he put emphasis on a fake rising economy and the stock market. 

“Our communities don’t invest in the stock market, they invest in the people around them who are actually out in the streets making sure that families are fed,” he said. “We live in a place where there are food deserts so people like our street vendors are actually providing people with opportunities for fresh food.” 

Wilma Franco, director of the SELA Collaborative, said most of Trump’s comments were misinformation, especially when he kept attacking Democrats and immigrants. She also noticed that Trump likes to speak on topics that create more fear and approval from his MAGA base without realizing the true meaning.

“He calls our communities criminals. I’m sorry but he is a felon himself, right? It’s almost like you are projecting onto our communities of color, something that you are,” she said. 

An attack to the immigrant communities

On the topic of immigration, Trump praised his leadership, highlighting that the border is secure, preventing “illegal aliens” from crossing “totally unfettered and unchecked.”

“We now have the strongest and most secure border in American history, by far. In the past nine months, zero illegal aliens have been admitted to the United States,” he said.

Bell Gardens Councilmember Jorgel Chavez said he feels disappointed because these comments will only hurt more families. Especially when he called to end sanctuary cities.

“This is a direct attack to me, to my city, to our community in Southeast L.A., a direct attack to our people,” he said.

SELA is composed of a large number of Latinos, many of them immigrants. Most of these cities have also adopted sanctuary status. 

“This rhetoric from the president, from his administration, is unacceptable and continually not once acknowledging the violation of civil liberties and civil rights of our communities,” he said. 

Chavez said after seeing the little interest from the president toward the real people, the best solution from local elected officials is to go back to the drawing board and figure out what to do within their means to protect the communities they serve.

Pomona Councilmember Victor Preciado said usually State of the Union speeches are thought of as being a place of unity, yet this time the president and his supporters were clapping at actions that hurt communities in so many ways and demonize people because of their skin color. 

“There is no unity in this. He’s name-branding himself and his friends and this is despicable,” he said. 

In the meantime, people, like the day laborers who are constantly chased, are suffering and living in fear due to the massive raids. Preciado said Trump is completely disconnected from the reality of the regular American families. 

A note of resilience 

U.S. Senator Alex Padilla delivered the SOTU response in Spanish, making clear that the speech did not project reality. 

“Not when the costs of rent, food and electricity keep rising. Not when Republicans raise our medical costs to fund tax cuts for billionaires. And definitely not when federal agents — armed and masked — terrorize our communities by targeting people because of the color of their skin or for speaking Spanish — including immigrants with legal status and citizens,” he said.

Padilla emphasized the fact that Trump will not be president forever and that people must stand and fight for their rights. 

He called on the American people to stand together in the tradition of “Solo el pueblo salva al pueblo” (only the people can save the people).

“As our parents taught us: if you fall seven times, get up eight. I am still here. Standing. Still fighting. And I know you are still standing and still fighting too,” he said. “This country has always been shaped by people who were told they did not belong — but who persevered and kept moving forward.”