Illinois was one of a handful of states that went for Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 election, but residents in the central part of the state have differing visions of what happens next with former President Donald Trump heading back to the White House.
Ahead of the results being called, hope was still alive on election night (November 5) that Kamala Harris would become the country’s first female President.
Voter, Abby Ratner, was at the watch party for Congresswoman, Nicki Budzinski, who secured her seat in the 13th District.
As Trump’s electoral lead started to grow, Ratner was already fearing what a second Trump term could look like.
“I think the concern and the fear for political violence is very high right now,” Ratner shared. “It’s very strong, and the fact that there are so many pockets, even within blue states, that are voting red, makes that very scary and a very real fear amongst people everywhere.”
Sangamon County is home to Springfield, and voters there backed the former president by a 51% to 46% margin.
According to Associated Press data, immigration and the economy were top of mind issues for Illinois voters.
The economy is why Springfield resident Sam Schuh said he voted for Trump.
“You know, bringing in our own oil instead of buying it from other countries,” he said. “So obviously that would probably be really the main change that I want to see is getting energy costs down, so because that’s drives everything. Food prices. Home prices. Everything.”
Days after Harris conceded the election to Trump, Black students gathered at the University of Illinois’ Bruce Nesbitt Center.
Jaeda Thompson voted for Harris and says Trump made false promises during the campaign and took credit for progress he didn’t make.
“But when you look into the rhetoric that he was spitting out, into the lies that he was saying, to things that, ‘Oh, the economy was better”, she said. “Yes, it was. But when you look into politics, the economy was better because of the presidential candidate that was before him.”
Harris reminded voters during her concession speech about the responsibilities of a president and U.S. citizens.
“And anyone who seeks the public trust, must honor it. At the same time, in our nation, not to a president or a party But to the constitution of the United States,” she said.
During his victory speech, President-Elect Trump reiterated his plans to close the southern border and conduct a mass deportation of undocumented residents.
“We have a country that needs help and it needs help very badly,” Trump said. “We’re going to fix our borders, we’re going to fix everything about our country”.
This is concerning for U of I Latino students including, Rey Camas. He was born in the U.S. after his family migrated to America.
Camas worries Trump’s deportation agenda will not stop with those who crossed the border in recent years.
“He dehumanized the whole immigrant community without making any distinction of who or when they immigrated,” he shared. “Or no matter how long they have been here.”
Trump’s new “Border Czar”, Tom Homan, tells Fox News that workplace raids will be part of the plan to round up millions of undocumented people in the United States.
Inauguration Day is Monday, January 20.