By Felicia J. Persaud
News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Nov. 6, 2024: Caribbean immigrant voters who began Tuesday with hopes for a win by U.S. Vice President and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris are now grappling with shock, fear, and disbelief at the return to power of convicted felon and former President Donald Trump.
Despondent Kamala Harris supportes at Howard University on November 6, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
The shock is compounded by the realization that Trump’s victory was powered not only by an overwhelmingly White voting base but also by unexpected support from Black, Latino, and Asian voters. Trump secured 292 electoral votes, boosted by 12 percent of the Black vote, 45 percent of the Latino vote, and 39 percent of the Asian vote, according to exit polls. Additionally, 55 percent of voters identifying as “other” races reportedly cast ballots for him—a result that surprised many analysts.
This diverse backing came despite the historic candidacy of Harris, a Black and South Asian woman with Jamaican roots, on the Democratic ticket.
A Harris supporter reacts to election results during an election night event for US Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate at Howard University in Washington, DC, on November 5, 2024. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images)
Antigua-born, U.S. citizen, and political thought leader Dr. Isaac Newton had predicted a Harris win when News Americas spoke with him last week. Still reeling from the result, Newton said: “This election outcome isn’t primarily about Trump as an individual, but about what he represents. His speeches, personality, and defiance—even his dramatic rejection of the 2020 election results—resonate with millions. In Trump, many see a reflection of their own bold, unapologetic, and fiercely individualistic identity. He’s not simply tolerated; he’s embraced because he aligns with a core American essence. Trump flourishes in America because he’s not an outsider; he embodies the values, identity, and spirit that take root in American soil. His win isn’t just about who he is; it’s about what many Americans see in themselves.”
Harris supporters react to election results during an election night event for US Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate at Howard University in Washington, DC, on November 5, 2024. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
Jamaican-born Irwine Clare, OD, head of Caribbean Immigrant Services and Team Jamaica Bickle, was also hopeful for a Harris victory. Today, he remarked that the election results signify how the U.S. has “normalized racism and misogyny,” cautioning that Trump’s supporters, including Black, Latino, and Asian voters, should be prepared for the practical consequences.
He warned that elections have consequences and that the supporters of Trump, including Blacks, Latinos and Asians and immigrant voters, must now be “prepared for what this means practically.”
British-born, Jamaican journalist Barrington Salmon, who had anticipated a Harris win, expressed disappointment. “America died on Nov 5th,” said Salmon. “Killed by racial hatred and grievance, misplaced anger and fear of whites becoming a minority. The idea that a felon who orchestrated a coup, walked off with secret documents, and engaged in behavior that would have disqualified any other person is now poised to become the 47th president of the United States boggles the mind. This was America at its most racist and misogynistic. Harris’ sex, race, and immigrant roots doomed her bid because America has a deep hatred for women, and the mainstream has no use for Black and brown people.”
Salmon also highlighted a major concern: the likely implementation of Project 2025, noting, “Trump says he will detain and deport millions of undocumented and legal immigrants, eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, and slash Medicare and Social Security. I expect that he will sign a national abortion ban that will extend the suffering and deaths of women and girls.”
Guyanese-American and mental health advocate Annan Boodram also expressed shock, telling News Americas: “Trump’s second victory will empower more Americans to reveal their true character, described by Socrates as ‘a lawless and beastly nature.’ America has changed, and Trumpism will be here long after you, me, and Trump are gone. America can no longer talk about democratic principles, morality, ethnic brotherhood, or the family of humanity.”
Jamaican immigrant Clement Humes, host of Groovin’ Radio and a strong Harris supporter, struggled to process the outcome. “This must be a bad dream—a convicted felon and woman molester was just elected president, after everything he has said about Latinos, Haitians, women, African Americans, and other groups,” said Humes. “Many American voters looked right past all of this and voted for a madman. Mass deportation, changes to birthright citizenship, and denaturalization—all this is nothing to his supporters, and racism is clear here, turning back America some 200 years. This is sad, to say the least.”
Trinidad-and-Tobago-born Coral Sherman, a U.S. voter, shared similar dismay. “Donald Trump won by activating a cult of voters who chose his racism, misogyny, and xenophobia over democracy,” she said. “He also received overwhelming support from the church because of his stance on abortion, even though his actions are far from godly. It was also unfortunate that the Muslim population did not vote for Harris because she didn’t take a strong stance on a ceasefire in the Middle East, but they are in for a rude awakening with Trump at the helm.”
Throughout his campaign, Trump maintained a history of inflammatory rhetoric, referring to immigrants as “animals” and “vermin” and suggesting they were “poisoning the blood” of America. He made unsubstantiated claims that Haitian refugees in Ohio were eating pets. At a Madison Square Garden rally, compared by some to historical nationalist gatherings, a comedian mocked Puerto Ricans, Latinos, Black Americans, Jews, and Palestinians. Another speaker urged a “return to true Americans,” stirring further controversy.
Trump’s rhetoric resonates with close allies like former advisor Stephen Miller, who stated, “America is for Americans and Americans only.” Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson mocked Harris’ background and intelligence, calling her a “Samoan Malaysian” with a “low IQ”—a claim parroted by Trump. Businessman Grant Cardone directed sexist and racist remarks at Harris, falsely accusing her of associations with “pimp handlers.”
In contrast, Biden’s administration achieved economic gains for Black Americans. Black unemployment, homeownership, and labor force participation rates improved, while inflation-adjusted take-home pay increased. The uninsured rate among Black Americans reached a historic low.
Despite these advancements, a segment of Black evangelical voters and congregations endorsed Trump, seeing him as the preferred candidate. This shift underscores the complexity of voter allegiances, even in the face of widely perceived divisive policies and rhetoric. The nation now watches to see if Trump will enact Project 2025, a plan that may impact the very base that helped secure his return.
