Latinos hurry to be naturalized for November election — to vote against Donald Trump
Donald Trump has bragged that "the Hispanics love me," but more and more Latino immigrants are rushing to naturalize in time to vote in November against Trump, The New York Times reports. "I want to vote so Donald Trump won't win. He doesn't like us," one such immigrant, Hortensia Villegas, said.
Naturalization application numbers tend to rise during presidential years, but some expect to see the normal bump get an extra boost from Trump's harsh words against Mexico and Mexicans. Of 8.8 million legal residents eligible to naturalize, 2.7 million are Mexicans — and the number of naturalization applications leapt by 11 percent in the 2015 fiscal year over the year before, and then 14 percent in the final six months of the year. Advocates told the Times that at the pace they are seeing applications rise, there could be 1 million applicants in 2016.
The Obama administration has helped by making a nonpartisan effort to grow naturalization, although some have raised complaints due to the fact that the majority of Latinos are Democrats. Naturalization drives are indeed being held in states like Colorado, Nevada, and Florida, where competition could be tight in November. "I certainly don't care what party they register with, I just want them to become citizens," director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Leon Rodriguez said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Still, Trump has not done much to help his case. At a naturalization workshop in Denver, one immigrant, Minerva Guerrero Salazar, spoke up. "Donald Trump never! Never! He has no conscience when he speaks of Latinos," she said. "And he is so rude. I don't know what kind of education his mother gave him."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Nigeria's worsening rate of maternal mortality
Under the radar Economic crisis is making hospitals unaffordable, with women increasingly not receiving the care they need
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Elevating Earth Day into a national holiday is not radical — it's practical'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
UAW scores historic win in South at VW plant
Speed Read Volkswagen workers in Tennessee have voted to join the United Auto Workers union
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ukraine cheers House approval of military aid
Speed Read Following a lengthy struggle, the House has approved $95 billion in aid for Ukraine and Israel
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Poland, Germany nab alleged anti-Ukraine spies
Speed Read A man was arrested over a supposed Russian plot to kill Ukrainian President Zelenskyy
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel hits Iran with retaliatory airstrike
Speed Read The attack comes after Iran's drone and missile barrage last weekend
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Peter Murrell: Sturgeon's husband charged over SNP 'embezzlement' claims
Speed Read SNP expresses 'shock' as former chief executive rearrested in long-running investigation into claims of mishandled campaign funds
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Mark Menzies: Tories investigate MP after 'bad people' cash claims
Speed Read Fylde MP will sit as an independent while party looks into allegations he misused campaign funds on medical expenses and blackmail pay-out
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Why Johnson won't just pass Ukraine aid
Speed Read The House Speaker could have sent $60 billion in military aid to Ukraine — but it would have split his caucus
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Sudan on brink of collapse after a year of war
Speed Read 18 million people face famine as the country continues its bloody downward spiral
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump's first criminal trial starts with jury picks
Speed Read The former president faces charges related to hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published