New Citizens Vote With Family Stakes

Nicole Solis-Sison is casting her first ballot in a New York City election this week. The 34-year-old became a U.S. citizen earlier this year after more than 20 years in the immigration process. She created a personal voter guide and diary to prepare for the vote.

Solis-Sison arrived in Los Angeles at age seven. Her family fled the Philippine government and sought asylum. An agent from the former Immigration and Naturalization Services agency told them to file for asylum while on U.S. soil. That intervention kept them from being deported back to Manila.

Juan Escalante, 37, is also voting in a general election for the first time. He became a citizen in 2025. His family moved from Venezuela to the United States when he was 11. He discovered he was undocumented during his junior year of high school after his parents hired a lawyer who mishandled their case.

Escalante said the error removed them from the standard processing line. He later qualified for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program under the Obama administration. That status allowed him to become the first person in his family to graduate college. His parents now hold green cards.

As a California resident, Escalante received a mail-in ballot containing numerous propositions and candidates. He researched every item before filling out the form. He described the process as personally emotional and a reflection of the power of a vote in service of the community.

Deisy España, 24, is voting in Wisconsin. She was born in the U.S., but her parents from Mexico were undocumented while she grew up. Her mother recently obtained a green card. España said she still feels fear when she sees news about Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions.

Leydi Gonzalez, 23, is voting in Texas. Her parents are from El Salvador. She turned 21 recently and used her status as an adult to petition for her parents' legal status. They currently have authorization to remain in the U.S. and are awaiting residency approval.

Gonzalez said her family discussed who would care for her siblings if her parents were detained. That conversation happened when Donald Trump was first elected president. She noted that the killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo by an ICE agent in Texas has increased anxiety in her community.

Gonzalez is watching the U.S. Senate race in Texas closely. Democrat James Talarico is polling ahead of Republican nominee and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. She said the election feels like a vote for her family's security.

Each of these voters cites specific risks for their families. They are weighing housing costs, student loans, and family planning against the potential impact of federal immigration enforcement. Their ballots represent a direct financial and legal interest for relatives who cannot yet vote.