Rocking the vote in a land called home
Fueled by fear, undocumented residents who can’t cast ballots join registration drive to get people to polls
Mayela Razo can’t vote in the presidential election come November. But she’s making sure those who can cast a ballot do, even offering to drive friends and family members to the polls on election night.
It’s a privilege that Razo, who is undocumented, wishes she had.
“Although I can’t vote, I’m aware of what’s going on in the election season,” said the 54-year-old San Jose resident in Spanish, who participates in voter registration drives with the immigrant rights organization, SIREN.
“It’s of concern to me because I, too,
“It’s of concern tome because I, too, live in this country. Iwant the Latino community to vote and be conscious of the fact that they can incite change.”
— Mayela Razo, left, undocumented San Jose resident
live in this country,” she said. “I want the Latino community to vote and be conscious of the fact that they can incite change.”
This political season has unleashed an unprecedented level of activism among many undocumented residents, who say fear and uncertainty have spurred them to act. People like Razo are canvassing streets, championing social media campaigns and manning phone banks to mobilize voters ahead of the election.
Undocumented residents have become a potent weapon in a polarizing election where immigration has been a focal point. Nonprofits and activist groups are using their voices in voter registration drives to remind people about the importance of voting. Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and fellow Democrat Sen. Bernie Sanders incorporated undocumented residents in their campaigns to get out the Latino vote. And for undocumented residents, getting others to vote presents a unique opportunity to be part of a political process that could determine their future in the United States. As the election nears, their desire to act grows.
It’s a phenomenon that’s largely driven by “Dreamers,” young adults brought to the U.S. illegally as children but raised as Americans.
“I feel that fear is controlling everybody right now. The undocumented community is in fear of losing their life here,” said Maria Rodriguez, who was brought to the U.S. at age 4 by parents who entered the country illegally. The 19-year-old Richmond resident, who’s in her second year at San Jose State, received temporary relief from deportation under “DACA,” or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
The program allows certain individuals brought to the U.S. illegally as children to remain here temporarily. They’re also eligible for work authorization and can apply for driver’s licenses in certain states, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
When a college friend told Rodriguez there was no reason to vote, “I gave her a look at what undocumented students have to face and how we’re powerless and really depending on voters to make a positive change,” she said. “I got her to register to vote.”
Rodriguez is majoring in health science with the hope of becoming a physician’s assistant. She said her parents have created a plan for her and her siblings in the event that they are abruptly deported.
“It’s scary to make these plans with them because it’s a possibility that these things could happen,” she said. “The U.S. is all I know. I consider myself an American — I have my family here, I have work here, I have school here.”
There are close to 3 million undocumented immigrants living in California, according to the Public Policy Institute of California, with about 183,500 in Santa Clara County, which has one of the highest undocumented immigrant populations in the state.
Many say their activism is fueled by Republican nominee Donald Trump, who has said he’ll deport the nation’s 11 million undocumented immigrants and build a wall along the Mexico border if elected. He alleges there are 2 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. who are criminals.
“Beyond the 2 million, and there are vast numbers of additional criminal illegal immigrants who have fled, but their days have run out in this country. The crime will stop. They’re going to be gone. It will be over,” said Trump in August during an immigration speech in Ari- zona.
Volunteers with SIREN, some of whom are undocumented, often participate in voter registration drives at churches or community events throughout the South Bay, hoping to net voters ahead of the election.
National groups such as Mi Familia Vota or “My Family Votes,” also are incorporating undocumented volunteers into their voter campaigns. It’s a form of empowerment for many of these immigrants, according to Giselle Gasca, a state coordinator for the organization.
“I feel like people are taking this election very per- sonal, and they really want to make sure their voices are heard one way or another,” said Gasca, who is also undocumented.
In August, Clinton enlisted young undocumented residents to boost voter turnout in Latino communities, launching “Mi Sueno, tu Voto/My Dream, your Vote.” Though she has tread with caution, Clinton has said there is a need for comprehensive immigration reform, vowing to end the separation of families broken apart by deportations.
While young undocumented residents may not have been a vocal part of political campaigns 10 to 15 years ago, this newer population has deeper political awareness, according to Louis DeSipio, a professor of political science and Chicano/Latino studies and director of the UC Irvine Center for the Study of Democracy.
“Even to white liberals, it speaks to the tragedy of these young adults who have been here an average of more than 10 years and aren’t able to fully integrate,” he said. “By putting a public face on it, candidates who incorporate them are humanizing this abstraction and saying, ‘Look at this success story. We’re doing something wrong here.’ ”
Republican political consultant Luis Alvarado said the notion that all Republicans are anti-immigrant is simply untrue.
“It’s exciting to me to see that (undocumented residents) want to invest in ensuring and molding the future of the country where they live,” he said. “If my fellow Republicans understand that this is a tide that cannot be turned around, then we can start working together and building the America of the future that we all aspire to be part of.”
But the activism is a sore spot for critics of illegal immigration.
“The least they can do is stay out of the election process,” said Ira Mehlman, spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a Washington, D.C. nonprofit that supports stricter immigration enforcement.
“You have people who are violating our laws trying to influence the American public on the outcome of an election because they have a particular stake on the outcome. I think for a lot of Americans, it’s rubbed them the wrong way,” he said.
Jesus Rivera is a 21-yearold student from Guadalajara, Mexico, who cannot vote.
“Voters have this wonderful right where they can choose their country’s future,” he said. “When one of them votes, that’s 10 of us who want to but can’t. Unfortunately, we’re excluded from the voting process, but that doesn’t mean we don’t care.”