The New Deportations Delirium by Kanstroom Daniel; Lykes M. Brinton; & M. Brinton Lykes

Author:Kanstroom, Daniel; Lykes, M. Brinton; & M. Brinton Lykes
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: LAW000000 Law / General
Publisher: New York University Press

Elections Change the Equation

The presidential election in 2012 changed the immigration debate overnight. Mr. Obama, who promoted immigration reform during his campaign, won 71 percent of the Latino vote and 73 percent of the Asian vote (New York Times 2012). The media wrote extensively of the changing demographics of the country and the problem this posed for a Republican Party that was so dependent on white voters (Shear 2012).

A number of opinion surveys have shown that, for Latino voters, immigration reform is important, and they have been paying close attention to the national debate (Barreto 2013). For Democrats, this demand signaled a political opportunity to press for immigration reform. Republicans, on the other hand, are divided. Leaders in the Republican Party concerned about the long-term viability of the party are very interested in appealing to a broader audience, as the white electorate that has been the party’s base is shrinking relative to Latinos, Asians, and African Americans who voted overwhelmingly for Obama. On the other hand, however, the majority of Republicans in the House serve overwhelmingly white districts—nearly half of Republicans in the House represent districts that are more than 80 percent white (Bland 2013). For these Republicans, there is no urgency to appeal to a growing Latino electorate. They can comfortably take a hardline stance against immigration reform without damaging their political career (Ball 2013).

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