Illegal Immigration from Latin America Amid the 2024 U.S. Presidential Campaign: Polarization Effects

Abstract

Illegal immigration, particularly from Latin American countries, remains a major issue that divides the political process in the United States. Both Republican and Democratic candidates are exploiting this problem for political gain, as they compete for voters' support in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election. While representatives of the two main political parties align on negative attitudes towards the issue, their approaches to addressing the problem are signifi cantly divided. This study aims to examine the impact of the polarising eff ects of Latin American illegal immigration on the political process in the United States within the context of the 2024 presidential campaign. The article takes a regional approach, examining presidential candidates from the Democratic and Republican parties who have formally declared their intention to run on September 1, 2023. The article concludes that the ongoing migration crisis in the United States and related socio-economic issues will remain a major concern in the future. Overall, discussions on this matter extend beyond domestic political discourse in the United States and now encompass the contentious interAmerican relations and the outlook for the liberal-democratic model as a whole.