30 JULY 2021
As White House Moves Immigration Blueprint Forward, Democrats in Congress Must Fulfill Electoral Imperative for 2022: Citizenship
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, Immigration Hub, People’s Action, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and Voto Latino sent a memo to congressional Democrats, DCCC and DSCC outlining the political imperative of delivering on citizenship proposals for Dreamers, TPS-holders, farm workers and other undocumented immigrants via budget reconciliation. “Citizenship for undocumented immigrants in America can no longer remain an unfulfilled campaign promise for the Democratic Party,” the organizations wrote.
As reported by Politico, the memo was sent Wednesday and includes a stark warning for a party clinging to their congressional majorities: “Failure to fulfill this basic campaign promise will depress base turnout, particularly among Latinos, leave critical swing votes on the table, and result in widespread losses for Democrats in the upcoming midterms and potentially sacrifice the White House in 2024.”
The memo follows the recent releases of the Biden administration’s immigration blueprint and Vice President Harris’s strategy to address the root causes of migration. The president also reiterated his support for a path to citizenship in reconciliation. The White House’s commitment to a full-scale approach in rebuilding America’s immigration system, as the Immigration Hub’s Executive Director Sergio Gonzales stated, is “welcomed against the GOP noise” and creates the legislative conditions to deliver on citizenship for immigrant communities.
Key highlights from the memo include:
When Democrats push forward - publicly and clearly - their vision and values-based solutions on immigration in stark contrast to the Republican attacks and crackdown approach to the issue, they win the public debate and persuade voters while also inoculating swing voters who are targeted by the opposition. By not allowing Republicans to be the sole voices filling the vacuum on the issue, Democrats are able to prevent voter backlash on immigration, validate pro-immigrant sentiment, and move voters in favor of Democratic candidates. Alternatively, allowing Republican attacks to go unanswered deepens voter misunderstanding of the Democratic position on the issue, flattens base enthusiasm, and moves a set of moderates vulnerable to GOP messaging and misinformation.
Latino voters can be re-engaged, persuaded and galvanized by delivering on citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Over the last few cycles, the Republican Party has made gains on the Latino vote through targeted misinformation, painting Democratic positions on immigration - among other issues - as fraught and dangerous. One of the primary ways Democrats can counteract this trend and excite and regain ground with Latino voters in key battleground states is by investing in targeted outreach, socializing their position on immigration and, more importantly, delivering legislation that creates a path to citizenship for Dreamers, farm workers, TPS-holders and other undocumented immigrants. Ultimately, the unfulfilled promise of 2012 must be fulfilled to help redefine the Democratic Party among Latinos.
Delivering on citizenship consolidates critical sets of voters - the base, the middle and Latino voters - increasing the opportunity for major battleground wins in 2022. From Pennsylvania and Wisconsin to Arizona, North Carolina and Florida, white suburban and Latino voters will play a crucial role in maintaining and flipping senate and congressional seats. Republicans have already admitted that, once again, the “border” and “amnesty” will be used against Democrats and President Biden. To put a definitive block against these attacks beyond winning the public debate and socializing the Democratic vision on immigration, Democrats must pass legislation that creates a path to citizenship for undocumented populations -- thereby generating excitement among the base - including Black and AAPI voters - and the Latino electorate, and persuading and inoculating other key swing voters against Republican and right-wing attacks and misinformation.
The takeaway for Congressional Democrats is: the party must go on offense before Republicans, once again, weaponize immigration to define Democrats, misinform and distract voters from their victories on other issues and pick off key voters who ultimately support the Democratic vision on immigration. Socializing and saturating President Biden and Democrats’ immigration solutions is a first and evergreen step; passing the Senate leadership’s budget reconciliation plan that would, once and for all, create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants must be the immediate next step this year.
###
The Immigration Hub is a national organization dedicated to advancing fair and just immigration policies through strategic leadership, innovative communications strategies, legislative advocacy and collaborative partnerships.