...In other words, there are lots of things the Obama administration is doing to make life miserable for survivors of extreme violence, going way beyond merely enforcing the law. And that brings us back to politics, because it cannot help but have an indelible impact on how those communities feel about Democrats over the long term.
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But considering Clinton spent the entire primary positioning herself as the natural heir to the Obama coalition, separating herself could prove difficult. At the most basic level, the raids will hinder her campaign’s efforts to contact Latino voters, as even naturalized immigrants in mixed-status families don’t want to give out their information. A fresh round of headlines about families ripped apart and even killed could dampen Latino voter enthusiasm even more.
Latinos certainly don’t consider Trump a better option. But the horror stories might discourage many in the Latino community from believing that there’s any hope of receiving respect and dignity from either party. They may tune out of politics, considering both sides equally belligerent. And that matters way beyond one election.
All of which begs the question of why the White House is embarking on this—and why now?...