The MeidasTouch Podcast — “Lorella Praeli on how Dems Can Win Back Latino Voters”

Date: November 23, 2025
Host(s): Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas
Guest: Lorella Praeli, Co-President of Community Change

Episode Overview

This episode features a deep dive into how Democrats can regain trust and support among Latino voters in the aftermath of major polling shifts following the 2024 election. The Meiselas brothers are joined by Lorella Praeli, a renowned immigration advocate and former undocumented immigrant, to analyze the Democratic party’s strategic missteps, the economic and psychological repercussions of current immigration policies, and how to rebuild credibility and connection with the Latino community.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Post-Election Latino Voter Shifts: Data & Trends

• Massive Polling Shifts: Recent polls reveal significant Latino disapproval of Donald Trump, reversing earlier shifts toward Trump in 2024.
  • Quote [03:06]: “Trump's net approval rating among Latinos in early February ... he was just two points underwater. Look at where he is now. ... minus 34 points, 34 points underwater. A shift of 32 points over the course of this year.” – Ben
• Latino Sentiment on Immigration: Whereas Trump and Harris were close in Latino trust on immigration a year ago, Trump has plummeted by 38 points in net approval (“Latinos despise, hate. Donald Trump, 38 points underwater.” – Ben, 03:06).

2. Economic Discontent Among Latinos

• Core Economic Concerns: Latinos, like many Americans, are primarily concerned with rising costs of living, healthcare, and economic opportunity.
  • Polling Data [06:19]: 61% disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy; 64% disapprove on healthcare; 76% rate the national economic condition as negative.
  • Quote [05:04]: “People are worried about the cost of living and they’re asking ... where is President Trump? ... Costs of everything going up and you’re separating families and racially profiling Latinos.” – Senator Ruben Gallego

3. Personal Stories and Community Reaction

• Backlash to Trump’s Policies: Latinos who voted for Trump express deep regret amid aggressive ICE operations and broken promises.
  • Quote [07:28]: “Yes, 100%. … and the first time he says something ... in the Latino people we see everything is – and the first time he said he got to catch the delinquentes ... right now he don’t follow to criminals. He go to specific to Latino people.” – Latino voter in Chicago

4. Lorella Praeli on Recent Shifts and Causes

• Mistakes by Democrats: Praeli highlights longstanding Democratic reluctance to address immigration directly, creating a vacuum for Republican fear-mongering and scapegoating.
  • Quote [08:57]: “When your government carries out this kind of coordinated campaign to tear millions of families ... people are going to turn against you. ... The Democrats’ mistake is to pretend it’s not happening and think not leaning in is enough.”
• Broader Impacts: The assault is economic as well as physical and psychological, affecting the fabric of entire communities—“the administration's actions are hitting everyone's daily lives.” – Lorella Praeli, 08:57

5. Economic Angle of Immigration Policy [11:37]

• Interconnectedness: Praeli draws a direct line from anti-immigrant policies to economic hardship for all Americans, emphasizing the reliance of key industries (agriculture, construction, health care, childcare) on immigrant labor.
  • Quote [11:37]: “The policies that target immigrant communities actually make life more expensive and more precarious for everyone. ... We have to think of immigration policy as economic policy.”
• Democratic Missed Opportunity: The Democrats haven’t presented a compelling alternative vision; just being anti-Trump is insufficient.

6. GOP Messaging in Latino Communities [13:26]

• Republican ‘Plants’ and Trusted Messengers: Discussion of how figures like Congresswoman Salazar have leveraged media presence and personal stories to build trust—and promote Trump’s agenda—despite policies that are harmful to the Latino community.
  • Salazar, post-election promise [14:53]: "I am sure that ... the Trump administration is not going to be targeting those people who have been here for more than five years ... they're going to hone in on the criminals ... I wrote the Dignity act ..."

7. Strategies for Winning Back Latino Voters [16:33, 19:35]

• Restoring Credibility:

  • The Democratic Party has lost credibility after repeated unkept promises on immigration reform.
  • Quote [16:33]: “The Democratic Party lost credibility with Latino voters ... every four-year cycle they would make this promise, we’re going to do comprehensive immigration reform ... They lost credibility in this last election.”

• New Vision Needed: It’s not enough to oppose Trump—Democrats must present a humane, unifying, visionary policy that addresses both immigration system flaws and broader economic hardship.

  • “We have to push back against the cruelty ... also saying we can build an immigration system that allows families to reunify ... that allows us to have farm workers to feed the country ... that’s the work ahead.”

• On-the-Ground Investment: Democrats have neglected long-term, local investment, assuming Latinos are a guaranteed base (“mobilization category”). Republicans, by contrast, have invested in building trusted community messengers. This needs to change.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Ben [03:06]: “Trump’s net approval rating among Latinos. … a shift of 32 points over the course of this year. … they have turned against him in massive, massive numbers.”
• Ruben Gallego [05:04]: “…you’re separating families and you’re racially profiling Latinos. … I think you’re going to see a very strong reaction tonight from very Latino areas … putting a check on this presidency and the lawlessness that is occurring under the guise of these Republicans.”
• Latino Trump Voter, now regretful [07:28]: “Right now, he don’t follow to criminals. He go to specific to Latino people.”
• Lorella Praeli [08:57]: “Unless you’re living inside of one of these communities … it’s almost impossible to grasp the scale of what is happening right now around our country.”
• Lorella Praeli [11:37]: “The policies that target immigrant communities actually make life more expensive and more precarious for everyone. … We have to think of immigration policy as economic policy.”
• Lorella Praeli [16:33]: “I don’t see enough of our national Democratic leaders making the case today or being outraged about what is happening, but also putting forward a new vision.”
• Lorella Praeli [20:42]: “I actually think this is a time when elected officials need to follow the playbook of people on the ground and get that courage themselves, find that fire themselves, because we’re absolutely, absolutely not going to come out of this moment stronger ... unless they get the cojones to actually lead in this moment.”

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:06] – Latino voters’ dramatic shift away from Trump in new polls
• [05:04] – Sen. Ruben Gallego on economic concerns and racial profiling
• [06:19] – Fox poll data: Trump’s deep unpopularity on economy, healthcare
• [07:28] – Regretful Latino Trump voter: “I regret that decision, 100%”
• [08:57] – Lorella Praeli: How family separation and economic fear drive backlash
• [11:37] – How anti-immigrant policies cause economic hardship for all
• [14:53] – Congresswoman Salazar’s post-election promise to Latino voters
• [16:33] – Praeli: Dems’ credibility gap and the need for visionary leadership
• [20:42] – Praeli’s call for leaders to follow the example of grassroots activists

Conclusion

The episode delivers a frank discussion on the challenges facing Democrats with Latino voters and the urgent need for principled, visionary, and ground-up engagement. Lorella Praeli’s lived experience and advocacy spotlight both the failures of recent Democratic strategy and the path forward: credible promises, empathetic policies, economic integration, and authentic local investment.

The conversation closes with a powerful call to action from Praeli, urging elected officials to show bravery and leadership inspired by the courage already being demonstrated in Latino communities across America.