“Trump’s Hispanic supporters don’t believe that Trump is racist,” Cadava writes. Because of that, they’re willing to let his inflammatory words slide. “If it weren’t for Trump’s big mouth, he’d have the highest approval ratings in history because of his accomplishments,” said an unnamed Puerto Rico Republican in Cadava’s book.

While most Hispanic Americans sympathize with illegal immigrants and favor a path to citizenship for those already here, large majorities agree with Trump’s policies — if not always with his rhetoric — regarding law and order at the border.

A Pew poll released in February found that 76 percent of all Hispanics want to beef up border-security measures and 66 percent favor cracking down on illegal crossings.

“For many immigrants I speak with, it’s about following the process legally,” Malliotakis said. “Many people followed the rules and worked hard.