November 9, 2006
For several months I have been advising clients that the results of this week’s mid-term elections would be very important for the chances of any type of comprehensive immigration reform in the near future. Well–good news! Most observers (like the Miami Herald) agree that the mid-term elections were a resounding defeat of immigration restrictionists and restrictionist policy. As tracked by immigration2006.org (see previous post), immigration moderates won 12 of 15 races where immigration was used as a key campaign issue. Noteworthy defeats include two immigration hardliners in Arizona. Just as important, if not more so, exit polling indicates that 73% of Hispanics voted for Democratic candidates, a gain of nearly 20 percentage points from the 2004 election. The defeat of immigration restrictionists and the massive loss of Hispanic voters is sure to get the attention of House Republicans who rejected a comprehensive reform bill this year. The odds are much better today for a comprehensive solution to immigration in the new congress.
