U.S. Immigrants Make Up A Record High Of 10 Percent of the Nation’s Electorate

Graphic by Natalie Demaree

University of Arkansas student Samia Ismail said her parents have taught her about the importance of political engagement.

Her parents became registered voters in 2012, after immigrating from Pakistan, she said.

“I’m so excited and so proud that so many immigrants are getting registered to vote,” Ismail said.

Recent research shows that 10 percent of the nation’s electorate for the 2020 election is made up of U.S. immigrants, a record high, according to Pew Research Center, a non-partisan think tank based in Washington, D.C. 

“Candidates will want to find out what are the issues that affect this population, but it’s still a minority. So, at this point in time it’s not going to make or break an election,” said Professor Karen Sebold, of the political science department at the University of Arkansas.

Between 2000 and 2018, over 10 million adult immigrants have become eligible voting citizens. This rate of immigrant eligible voters since 2000 is increasing 75 percent faster than the U.S.-born eligible voter population, according to Pew.

Immigrant eligible voters, as defined by Pew, are persons ages 18 and older born outside of the United States who have gained U.S. citizenship through naturalization. 

 “I think it’s really significant that immigrants are making a larger part of the electorate because I think that people that were not born in the United States that are now voting bring up a different perspective that most Americans would not usually think about,” Ismail said. 

She is optimistic that this increase will positively affect immigrant policy issues, because she thinks politicians have been making more of an effort to be aware of different communities and bring them into the electorate, she said.

Ismail said that her parents play a large role in her own interest in politics because they have been very intentional about making sure that she understands the importance of politics.

“I have my parents to thank because there has never been a time where my sister and I were not aware of politics,” she said. 

Professor Sebold, who specializes in the presidential nomination process, said that she doesn’t think that increase will have a major impact in this year’s presidential election.

“It’s significant if it’s growing. Is it significant compared to the other populations? Not necessarily, that’s still a small percentage of the people that are going to be voting. But it’s certainly significant enough to pay attention to,” Sebold said. 

However, it is important to note that this group is very diverse not just in their backgrounds, but in their voting patterns too. 

Both Ismail and Sebold noted that the immigrant population isn’t monolithic, and the issues that they are voting on are varied. 

“We tend to put people into groups in this country, and I’d say be cautious doing that because as that group grows, so does the diversity in that group,” Sebold said. 

Both of the parties are aware of the changing demographics of the electorate because their platforms will shift as needed, she said. Though she doesn’t think it will have a large impact in this year’s presidential election, she does think it could have an impact in smaller elections where just a few votes could change the outcome. 

“You’re gonna see the Democratic platform probably shift to one that is immigrant friendly as well as illegal immigrant friendly, and you’re not gonna see that from the Republican party,” Sebold said, “they’re gonna focus on the people that are here legally, and they’re not going to have a positive message about the illegal immigrants.” 

Sebold said she thinks the Republican party may use this statistic as a fear tactic to persuade people that perhaps their interests will not be as important in the future.

Yet, the Republican party could pick up immigrants of a religious background through the abortion rights issue. They could also pick them up through the issue of jobs and the economy, she said. 

“As you have the threats to things like DACA, other threats to our immigrants, as you see what is happening to families on the borders as they try to immigrate over here, whether it’s legally or illegally, the optics aren’t great. Those are issues that are to rally people to register to vote and get them engaged,” Sebold said.