New Citizens and Mixed-Status Families Drive Midterm Motivation

The 2026 midterm election is shaping up to be a defining moment for young voters with roots in immigration. For many, the act of voting extends beyond personal preference to become a strategy for protecting family members who cannot yet cast ballots.

Nicole Solis-Sison, a 34-year-old first-time voter in New York City, became a citizen earlier this year after spending two decades in the U.S. legal system. Her parents fled the Philippine government and sought asylum in Los Angeles when she was seven. An immigration agent advised the family to file for asylum, a decision that allowed them to remain in the country. Solis-Sison described her upcoming vote as a milestone and said she created her own voter guide and diary to prepare.

In California, Juan Escalante, 37, will also vote for the first time in a general election. He became a citizen in 2025 after living as an undocumented immigrant for much of his life. Escalante said he was not aware of his status until his junior year of high school, when a lawyer mishandled his parents' immigration case. He later qualified for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, which allowed him to graduate college and become the first American citizen in his family.

Escalante described receiving his mail-in ballot as an overwhelming experience due to the size of the California ballot. He spent significant time researching every proposition and candidate to ensure his vote reflected his values as an immigrant and Latino. His parents hold green cards, but the family remains worried about their future status.

Deisy España, 24, of Wisconsin, is a U.S. citizen born to parents from Mexico. Her parents were undocumented for many years, a fact that caused them visible fear during police traffic stops. Her mother recently obtained a green card, but España said the threat of ICE enforcement remains a constant concern. She stated that she is voting specifically for her parents, who cannot vote themselves, and urged other young voters to adopt the same mindset.

Leydi Gonzalez, 23, of Texas, is also a citizen with parents from El Salvador. She sponsored her parents for legal status after turning 21, and they currently have authorization to stay in the U.S. while waiting for residency approval. Gonzalez said her family has discussed contingency plans for her siblings in case her parents are detained or deported.

Gonzalez pointed to the killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo by an ICE agent in Texas as a catalyst for her political engagement. She is watching the high-profile U.S. Senate race in her state, where Democrat James Talarico is polling ahead of Republican nominee Ken Paxton. She said the race feels like a direct test of security for her family.