BY Aicha Sama ILLUSTRATION Floria Tsui DESIGN Kathryn Li
for some, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Heightened border violence has also negatively altered the perception and experience of immigrants, and the thousands of children separated from their parents as a testament to the abysmal treatment of immigrants in this country. This further emphasizes the disenfranability to undergo naturalization, the backlog of appli- chisement of immigrants in contrast to their supposcations, as a result of COVID-19 and an unsympathetic edly fellow citizens, with only the latter having a real Trump administration, has limited potential voter voice in public policy. registration. Ultimately, the inability to vote disproportionately +++ harms immigrant communities; their limited access to basic rights, like healthcare or legislative influence All of us have a responsibility to mitigate the over their children’s education, hinders their electoral effects of discrimination and work toward a more power in particular. In addition to inadequete voter inclusive environment for Americans and soon-to-be representation, a fifth of adult undocumented immi- Americans. Meaningful change can start with voting grants live in poverty, according to the Pew Research and educating those who are new to the process. Center. This combination creates a disheartening Providing immigrants with comprehensive informadynamic, leaving immigrants unable to influence tion is essential; doing so will improve American politthe systems that they work for. Even after securing ical literacy and equip new Americans with the tools to voter registration, working-class voters often have a properly exercise their right to self-advocacy. hard time prioritizing voting because of their jobs and Protesting voter suppression is another important families. Making Election Day a federal holiday would aspect of improving the American electoral system benefit immigrant voters immensely. in the near future. Historically, voter suppression has While facing such disadvantages, immigrants been used to reduce the influence of minority voters, are often criminalized, with many undocumented which in turn impacts immigrant voters, as most immiimmigrants detained at borders or immigration grants are part of racial minorities. For example, gerrydetention centers without any prior criminal history. mandering schemes, which often involve diminishing Incarceration is a major factor in voter suppression, as it can render potential voters ineligible before they even begin the voting process. Individuals without citizenship accounted for 64 percent of federal arrests in 2018, making voting more difficult or impossible
THE COLLEGE HILL INDEPENDENT
minority voters to very few districts to dilute their votes, continue to occur in cities like Detroit and Atlanta. Increasing the awareness of schemes like these can help protect minority voters from strategies created to silence their political voice. Immigration will likely serve as a critical talking point in the 2020 election. As the unfathomable reality of kids detained at borders persists, people continue to protest systems that profit off of immigrant detainment. Given that a large portion of Trump’s political stances are anti-immigrant, voting in this year’s federal election remains of utmost importance for new American voters. As a Black first-generation American voter, I am undergoing the process of voting for the first time myself. I think about my future as an American often, and I am working towards educating myself on the major policies that candidates are standing behind. I’m excited to enter my first year of college as a student and a voter, and I hope to continue to fight against discrimination while advocating for better immigration policies. *Names have been changed to preserve the privacy and security of the interviewee.
AICHA SAMA B'24 will wear her “I Voted” sticker proudly.
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