Op-Ed: Dear Latinos: Our Immigrant Parents Never Quit Fighting for Better. Will You?
“How is the Latino community doing right now?” It’s a question that we often ask ourselves these days. And it’s an inquiry that is as vague as the answer it seeks.
Our community’s diversity—generational, regional, political—makes it difficult to describe a collective group feeling, even during simpler times. But the last two months, with the immigration raids and partisan battles, shook the lives of one branch of Latinos: mixed citizenship status families.
Mixed-status families exist in an alternate universe from the rest of the country
It’s a dimension where the undocumented members of your family can disappear from one moment to the next, like a character in a Marvel Avengers movie.
The undocumented members of these families are often the parents. The daily threat of deportation is crushingly stressful. For the citizens in the family, the survivor’s guilt is suffocating. Right now, both sides feel that they are at the mercy of forces they cannot trust and at risk of their worst nightmare—family separation—coming true.
How do we persevere and continue fighting? The citizen descendants should look to those very same undocumented family members for inspiration. Each family knows their American origin story and how that journey started across national and legal boundaries. Our parents, or grandparents, gave their blood, sweat, and tears to make a living in this new land. That same resilient blood runs in our veins.
We are made for this moment
Latino citizens have a vital role in fighting for the future of their mixed families. We have abilities that our undocumented parents and community do not. Shame on us if we don’t use these powers to shape this moment in history.
First, and most importantly, we have the constitutional right to vote. If you feel like rolling your eyes at that, don’t! As citizens, we have the collective power to vote out elected officials who target our community. It’s an ability our undocumented family cannot exercise, and we live in a democracy where the results matter. As we can see, the real-life consequences of elections are simply too important for anyone to stay home on election day.
The 2026 midterms are 16 months away, so circle November 3, 2026, on your calendar now
There will be candidates and proposals on the 2026 ballot where the Latino community will be the decisive factor. Latinos now make up nearly one in six voters nationwide. Tiny margins win these races—one neighborhood can secure the win for a candidate that respects the rule of law.
The other essential ability citizens have is the freedom to protest peacefully. In this political climate, the undocumented community cannot risk their lives and livelihoods in public marches. However, as citizens, we can —and we need to — protest effectively on their behalf.
Setting aside individual anger over the immigration raids, put yourself in the shoes of a swing state voter watching videos of the ensuing protests. What imagery is more likely to elicit your sympathy: a car lit on fire by masked agitators or a daughter rallying peacefully in defense of her mother? We cannot scream at people to agree with us. We need to win over persuadable hearts and minds.
The moment to harness Latino political influence is here, and we have powerful tools at our disposal. The future of our families depends on our willingness to use them and engage the country in our story. Our parents and grandparents used their faith, skills, and work ethic to transform their lives in America. What will we do?
Abram Diaz is a Chief of Staff in the California State Assembly and a lecturer on politics at American River College. He previously served as chair of the California Latino Capitol Association, a group dedicated to growing Latino representation in California politics.
