Immigration

Over the past year, the number of encounters with migrants crossing into the United States from Mexico reached its highest total on record, leading Latinos to view this issue as a crisis or at least a major problem, according to the Pew Research Center. Contrary to what some politicians say, immigration is not the #1 top-of-mind issue for Latino voters (the economy is), but it’s certainly top of mind. Millions of Latinos live near the border and thus are affected by policies in different ways. Today’s immigrants are mainly from Latino countries where crime is rampant and jobs are nearly nonexistent, and Latinos in general have enormous empathy for these brothers and sisters. Polls show Latinos want Congress to prioritize pathways to citizenship for those brought here as children and for long-residing undocumented immigrants who have held jobs and not been convicted of a crime. Some politicians running for office this year have been unapologetic about wanting to aggressively police undocumented immigrants. But we are less likely than non-Latinos to support measures like mass deportation and wall-building, and we are less supportive overall of measures to curb legal immigration. Policy changes remain stalled in a highly divided Congress, mainly along party lines, and Latinos find themselves stuck in the middle.

HOW THIS ISSUE IMPACTS YOU: We Latinas feel a deep emotional connection and sense of empathy for migrants, and many of us still have family and friends in our home countries. A whopping 85 percent of Latinos want to see the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program expanded, so additional immigrants from crisis-stricken countries can live and work legally. Another 75 percent of us support offering temporary legal status to unauthorized immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for a long time. 

DID YOU KNOW?

The Biden administration, Congressional Democrats, and several Republicans twice attempted a bipartisan immigration bill this year that conceded most, if not all, of the key provisions put forth by both parties, including tightening asylum rules, expanding legal immigration levels, and providing funds for border personnel. Both times a floor vote on the bill was refused. Most recently, the Biden administration announced actions to keep families together On June 18th. The President announced a new process to help U.S. citizens with noncitizen spouses and children who have been here for 10 years or more keep their families together. Beginning on August 19, 2024, eligible spouses and children will be able to apply for this process to obtain legal status while remaining with their families. Similarly, to help thousands of Dreamers transition successfully to college, the Administration also announced that the Department of Education is issuing a proposed rule to expand the federal TRIO program to ensure Dreamers and others can enroll. Read the Fact Sheet on the Administration New Actions to Expand Here.