Republicans, The DREAM Act And Surging Latino Voters

Illinois U.S. Rep. Luis Gutiérrez wrote a piece in The Huffington Post today in which he recounts many reasons why the DREAM Act is important. Perhaps one of the most salient is one we’ve written about previously, that of the coming boom of Latino voters.

Gutiérrez wrote [emphasis NewsTaco’s]:

“With or without the DREAM Act, one important fact will not change about this group. Every year, an estimated 500,000 Latino U.S. citizens turn 18 and therefore become eligible to vote. Add the children and grandchildren of immigrants who identify strongly with their family’s immigrant experience and add the naturalized immigrant adults and you have a sizable group of new voters waiting in the wings and stepping up to the ballot box with each passing year. A million more eligible young Latino voters will be in play by the time votes are cast in 2012. In every state of the union, they are becoming the newest voting constituents of every Senator and Congressman. Do you think they will forget who voted for and against the DREAM Act in two years? What about the two million newly eligible voters in four years? Believe me when I tell you they will remember who fought for — and against — deporting their sisters, cousins, best friends, boyfriends, and teammates.”

Also, if you want to rally your senators to vote for the DREAM Act, here’s a list of how to do so.