U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat elected first Black chair of Congressional Hispanic Caucus

U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat of New York has been elected chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) for the upcoming 119th Congress, making him the first Black person to hold the role in its 46-year history.

The election took place on Nov. 20, with the Afro-Dominican congressman running unopposed to succeed Rep. Nanette Barragán of California. Espaillat won a commanding re-election to his seat in the House of Representatives earlier this month.

“The CHC’s voice is powerful and more so than ever, our efforts are united to uplift Latino communities around our nation. As we enter the 119th Congress, we will face the challenges ahead as a united front to prioritize protections for immigrant communities and ensure policies that are humane and reflective of our nation's values,” said Espaillat in a statement on his election. 

“As the CHC's influence has continued to grow since our inception in 1976, our aim today reaffirms our commitment to deliver tangible results for Latino communities across all issues to ensure our voices are heard and our communities have the opportunity to succeed and thrive."

Espaillat’s chairmanship will come amid a highly charged climate in Washington, with the incoming second administration of President-elect Donald Trump expected to stir continued consternation among many Latino communities.

Though the Republican demagogue boosted his support within that demographic in his sweeping defeat of Vice President Kamala Harris on Election Day, his calls for a historic deportation effort have received mixed reviews from both sides of the political aisle.

Espaillat, a 70-year-old immigrant from the Dominican Republic, has served since 2017 as the first Dominican and first formerly undocumented person in Congress. Representing a heavily immigrant district, he described Trump's deportation policies during his first administration as “heavy-handed” and “bullying” in 2017.

This month, the New York legislator has already made known his thoughts on Trump’s proposed border czar Tom Homan, a fellow Catholic to Espaillat but who is supportive of the president-elect's plan to expel millions of U.S. residents.

“To hear kids crying in the middle of the night and calling for their mom and dad because they've been separated is going to, again, shake up America,” he told WNYC on Nov. 13.

“Those immigrants that voted for Trump, their opinion will quickly change when their cousin is getting deported or when their small business is being raided.”

Espaillat, who has supported various pro-immigration measures during his tenure in Washington, is currently a member of the House Committee on Appropriations, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, the Friends of the Dominican Republic Caucus, and the Friends of Ecuador Caucus, among others.

“New Yorkers know how to lead, and Representative Espaillat has been an incredible representative for our communities,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James on his election to lead the CHC. “No one will work harder to support our Hispanic communities and ensure they are heard.”

Following his initial election to Congress in 2016, Espaillat made headlines when he signaled he wished to become the first dual member of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and the CHC. He was reportedly blocked from joining the former, however, allegedly due to his prior primary challenges in the 13th district against CBC member (and fellow Democrat) Charles Rangel. 

Despite continued overtures on the part of Espaillat, including as recently as 2022, he has not been admitted to the CBC. Though no public list of the 62 incoming members has been released, BCM has learned that Espaillat is not expected to be included in the CBC for the 119th Congress.

The Hispanic Caucus is presently made up of 43 Democrats from both chambers of Congress, including four Afro-Latinos in Reps. Maxwell Frost of Florida, Espaillat, and his fellow New Yorkers Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ritchie Torres.

They are among a Democratic minority in the upcoming Congress, wherein Republicans will control the presidency, the House, and the Senate for the first time since 2017. Espaillat is expected to be sworn in as CHC chair in early January, serving a two-year term into early 2027.

Nate Tinner-Williams is co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger.

Want to donate to BCM? You have options.

a.) Support our #iGiveCatholic campaign.

b.) click to give (fee-free) on Zeffy

b.) click to give on Facebook