Over 60 percent of Latino voters in Colorado think their civil rights have become less secure since President Donald Trump began his second term, according to survey results released Thursday from the Colorado Latino Agenda and UnidosUS.

That number is higher among women, at about 71 percent, but lower among men, at about 58 percent. There is also a stark partisan split, with 80 percent of Democratic Latino voters feeling their civil rights are eroding but just 26 percent of Republicans who think the same.

“They see immigrant families being used as scapegoats and political props, even as those same workers keep Colorado’s farms, restaurants and resorts running,” Alex Sánchez, CEO of Voces Unidas de las Montañas, said during a briefing on the survey results Thursday morning. “We see Congress failing to protect families from reckless deportations and racial profiling, and they see their reproductive rights, voting rights and civil rights under attack.”

The Colorado survey was part of a national bipartisan effort to understand where Latino voters stand about one year before the 2026 midterm elections. There was an oversample of Colorado voters. The survey was conducted between Oct. 8 and Oct. 22.

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When it comes to immigration issues, 40 percent of voters fear arrest even though they have legal status, 35 percent believe the workforce is shrinking because immigrants are afraid to go to work, and 30 percent are more afraid to report crimes and interact with local law enforcement. About 44 percent said they most want elected officials to create a path to citizenship for immigrants, the most popular policy choice, followed by ensuring that immigration detention facilities are safe and humane.

The survey comes about 10 months into Trump’s second term, which has been marked by a steep increase in immigration detentions and deportations, deployments of the National Guard to Democratic-led cities and a record-breaking government shutdown over whether to extend health insurance subsidies.

While Democrats continue to hold an advantage in Colorado, it's not guaranteed. Latino voters are pragmatic. We reward action, not party labels.

Overall, economic concerns such as rising costs and stagnant wages were top of mind for voters. They cited inflation, housing costs and the economy as the top issues elected officials should address, which is similar to responses in previous years. About 45 percent responded that the minimum wage is too low and 45 percent said one job does not pay enough. Another 59 percent said access to affordable health insurance should be a priority for lawmakers.

Over half of Latino voters predict their economic situation will be worse in a year.

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“As we head into another pivotal election cycle, data like this helps ground the conversation and what matters most to our communities,” said Dusti Gurule, the president and CEO of Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights. “It really provides us with our marching orders to continue the work.”

A generic Democrat would get 55 percent of the vote for a 2026 congressional race, according to the survey, compared to about 21 percent for a Republican. But both parties are underperforming as compared to their 2024 numbers, which could be a sign of voter discontent with the political and electoral systems, according to researcher Gary Segura.

Among Latino voters who voted for Trump in 2024, which is about 35 percent of the Colorado Latino electorate, 20 percent said they either would not vote for Trump or did not know if they would vote for him in a do-over of 2024. For comparison, there was an 8 percent bleed among voters who picked former Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate last year.

“A 20 percent bleed for Trump voters should be very concerning to GOP political operatives,” Segura said.

About two-thirds of Latino voters disapprove of Trump’s job performance and disapprove of how the Republican Party is handling its majority in Congress. About 60 percent blame Republicans for the ongoing federal government shutdown that began Oct. 1. Additionally, 81 percent think Congress is ceding too much authority to Trump and should be using its checks-and-balances role more often.

About 51 percent of respondents said the Democratic Party cares “a great deal” about the Latino community, compared to the 27 percent who said the same about the Republican Party. At the same time, 43 percent said Democrats and 40 percent said Republicans don’t care too much about Latino interests. That could reflect the “alienation” Latino voters might feel from the political system, Segura said.

“While Democrats continue to hold an advantage in Colorado, it’s not guaranteed. Latino voters are pragmatic. We reward action, not party labels,” Sánchez said. “This poll should be a wake-up call, not just to Republicans, but for Democrats too.”