WASHINGTON, DC (CNN/WBTW) – The immigration debate will be front and center Tuesday as the Supreme Court hears arguments on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, better known as DACA.
After the arguments, an opinion announced during the 2020 election cycle, could roil the campaigns.
First time voter, Gabriel Madison, still doesn’t know who he will vote for in 2020.
What he does know is that he’ll vote for a candidate who supports the so-called dreamers, who in many cases came to the country illegally as children and are now protected by the Obama-era deferred action program.
“Even though I am a U.S. born citizen, DACA is essential to our community and getting rid of DACA recipients would detrimentally harm our entire community and what we have fought for so far,” Madison said.
Madison has never needed DACA, but the issue is near and dear to him and has even motivated him to become involved in politics.
Robert Sinners, of the DC Young Republicans, believes the court’s decision will motivate voters in both parties.
“It’s an emotional issue and that inspires people, especially on the left, to be involved in politics because emotional appeals are always something that drives people to the ballot box,” said Sinners. “It is a national security issue especially for Republicans because we need to have a count of who is in this country.”
According to Rock the Vote, a nonpartisan organization that works to get young people involved in politics and voting, young voters are not focused on a single-issue, but prioritize those that affect their everyday lives.
“Young people, whether they identify as a Democrat or a Republican or even as an independent, are supporting pathways to citizenship and because they are affected by folks in their community who are DACA recipients or who have immigrated here, they know that this is an important issue,” said Carolyn DeWitt, president and executive director, Rock the Vote.
