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With the 2024 U.S. presidential election unfolding, Moroccans living across the United States are feeling the weight of this pivotal moment.
Many are already set on casting their votes, while some remain undecided, facing the complexities of candidates, policies, and the stakes involved.
From California to New York, members of the Moroccan diaspora are speaking out on why they see this election as crucial and what factors shape their choice.
One Moroccan-American voter summed up the sentiment of many “Yes, I plan to vote in the 2024 elections because I consider it one of the most significant, if not the most crucial, elections of our lifetime.”
For this voter who spoke to Hespress English under the condition of anonymity, background in public service matters when sizing up candidates.
“When evaluating candidates, I consider their careers in public service. For instance, Trump served one term as president, while Kamala Harris has been vice president and was previously the attorney general of California. I also pay attention to the promises they make and the campaigns they run,” the voter said.
This particular voter sees a certain authenticity in Trump that’s hard to ignore. “
Personally, I’ve always found Trump more ‘real’ and straightforward compared to other candidates, and my opinion hasn’t changed this time around.”
Their main concerns? Foreign policy, the Middle East, the high cost of living, and immigration issues top the list.
The Moroccan voter said that he’s worried about the current administration’s response to crises abroad, especially regarding the ongoing war in Gaza. And the Biden-Harris administration’s stance on the Moroccan Sahara has also been a sticking point.
“Trump’s promise to end the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and to establish peace in the Middle East makes me even more inclined to support him,” the voter said.
The Moroccan voter said that Trump’s historic decision to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over the Moroccan Sahara has greatly influenced his stance.
Amine, another Moroccan living in Boston, told Hespress English that he’s hoping that the Republican Party and Trump win this election.
“The reason why is because they are addressing important issues for me in their campaign, such as the economy and immigration,” said Amine.
Still, not everyone in the community shares this viewpoint. Many Moroccan-Americans lean toward Kamala Harris, said the voter.
For them, Trump’s immigration policies and his rhetoric around Muslims and immigrants are a deal-breaker.
“Some friends and members of the Moroccan community who have obtained American citizenship have already cast their votes for Kamala, seeing her as the lesser of two evils. They believe that Trump’s immigration policies and rhetoric reveal him as a racist and Islamophobe,” said the voter.
Both Trump and Harris have their supporters, and as the clock ticks closer to election results, it’s clear that the Moroccan-American community is no monolith.
As of 2022, approximately 130,410 individuals with Moroccan ancestry were estimated to live in the United States, according to the American Community Survey.
But due to significant undercounting in census data, the Arab American Institute suggests that the true number may be closer to around 233,679 Moroccans residing in the U.S.
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