US immigration reform vital to Latino voters says report

February 09 2010 by Liam Clifford

A report by America’s Voice, a supporter of comprehensive US immigration reform, says that the issue is a defining one for Latino voters.

The report says that the progress, or lack of progress, on the reform bill could affect as many as 40 congressional races in areas with high numbers of Latino residents.

Eliseo Medina of the Service Employees International Union says, “US Immigration reform is a litmus test in the Latino community.” Speaking during a conference about the study, she added, “to us, this is a policy issue, but it is also an issue about respect.''

Between 2000 and 2008, the Democratic party and Obama’s campaign benefitted from a 54 per cent increase in registered Latino voters off the back of pledges to revamp immigration law. Obama then won 75 per cent of the Latino vote in the presidential elections.

Most Latino immigrants living in the US want to see a path to citizenship introduced for people who moved to the US illegally but have been living in the country for several years. Many such people have children in school or have had children who are themselves US citizens, they feel that immigration reform in the US needs to happen this year.

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