A large part of the immigration debate is what impact it will have on politics and voting. The changing demographics of America are a widely accepted fact as Latinos have become the largest voting bloc. Political strategists are restructuring their predictions for how elections will turn out based on these new demographics.
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According to this new report by Think Progress, by the year 2050, many states will become “majority-minority” states. This means that minority groups will have the most voting power in political races. This news is enough to make lawmakers think twice which way they will vote on immigration reform and whether or not they will decide to cosponsor current legislation. In New York, Bill De Blasio won the mayoral race after focusing his campaign on how disenfranchised immigrant populations are in regards to income inequality and police harassment. Nearly 85 percent of Latinos voted for De Blasio, which contributed to his victory. De Blasio’s winning strategy was his pro-immigration reputation and outreach programs for foreign-born voters. Other lawmakers are taking similar measures to win the votes of minorities in their states.
In New Jersey, newly re-elected Gov. Chris Christie also made outreach to immigrants a fundamental part of his campaign which seems to have worked. He won half of Latino voters in a state where nearly 1 in 4 residents are either Latino or Asian. States with larger immigrant or minority populations will need to have leaders in charge who know how to communicate to a minority population and help integrate them into society. For states such as Missouri which are taking a strong initiative to bring immigrants into their cities, new pro immigrants policies will need to be put in place. Minority influences will most likely have a strong impact not only on how politics are run, but the laws that will be passed.
If you have questions regarding the new immigration reform, applying for a visa or the changing immigration laws, contact us at 314-961-8200 or visit our contact page.
