This article is a part of the HPR Massachusetts Election Guide and represents the independent perspective of the author.
“I did it for a better life” — the common words spoken by immigrants reflecting on their journey to America. While people may choose to immigrate for a variety of reasons, like employment opportunities, escaping violence, and educational pursuits, one reason is certain: People come to be Americans — and with that, they embrace the civic responsibility of voting.
There is no doubt that immigrants’ political power is rising each year. In just 20 years, the number of eligible immigrant voters nearly doubled from 12 million in 2000 to over 23 million by 2020. This phenomenon raises the question: To what extent do immigrants influence the outcomes of elections? The answer is heavily, especially in states with large immigrant populations like Massachusetts. With this in mind, the candidates running in the 2022 Massachusetts general gubernatorial election must appeal to immigrant voter bases in order to experience the most election-related success.
It is no secret that the strongest way to gain immigrant votes is by advocating for policies that support and benefit immigrants. In Massachusetts today, the number one immigrant-related matter on the ballot is Question #4, a referendum that asks voters to approve or repeal the new law that allows all qualified state residents, regardless of immigration status, to be issued Massachusetts driver’s licenses. Question #4, the Work and Family Mobility Act, supports safer roads and safer drivers, as it holds all drivers to the same insurance standards and enables all families to utilize the roads to get to work, drop children off at school, and attend medical appointments. Though these benefits may not sound like a luxury to most, immigrants barely use public benefits in comparison to the general public, despite being taxpayers. In order to ease immigrants, documented and undocumented alike, into feeling secure of their access to American infrastructure, the Massachusetts law on driver’s licenses must be upheld.
To Maura Healey, the Democratic candidate in the Massachusetts gubernatorial election, supporting undocumented residents’ eligibility to apply for driver’s licenses is a top priority in her measures to defend immigrant communities. She, along with the rest of the MassDems and progressive groups like Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, believes it to be a “common sense” law.
In her work as Attorney General, Healey has already contributed to these measures, notably by addressing language barriers that put immigrants at risk of fraudulent immigration law practices. Scammers attract immigrants with false promises of obtaining visas, green cards and citizenship in exchange for money. In an effort to protect Massachusetts immigrants from these scams, Healey’s multilingual education campaign, first launched in 2018 by the Attorney General Community Engagement Division, provides those at risk with information on these predatory practices through public service announcements, social media posts and in-person training.
Healey leads the way in acquiring immigrant votes in the upcoming general election with her other proposed immigrant-related policies, like expanding language access, providing health care coverage, and facilitating attainable, purposeful pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Together, these existing initiatives and promised policies speak volumes to the more than 1.2 million immigrants living in Massachusetts, giving Healey a clear edge over her opponent, Republican candidate Geoff Diehl.
In regards to Question #4, Geoff Diehl and the rest of the MassGOP are strongly for the repeal of the law, confirmed by his campaign tweeting that the approval of the ballot question was “wonderful news.” To Diehl, enabling undocumented immigrants with driver’s licenses puts the public safety, public health, and election integrity of Massachusetts at risk. In conjunction with Diehl, MassGOP Chairman Jim Lyons, the primary contributor to the recent Trumpification of the party, continues to champion such anti-immigration measures. Earlier this year, Lyons and Diehl joined campaign organizers at a signature-gathering event to put Question #4 on the ballot, which Lyons claimed was “democracy in action.” Furthermore, Diehl stands firmly in his belief to remain tough on the issue of illegal immigration and advocates for similar stances from the federal government. While Diehl focuses his argument on undocumented individuals, his message is nonetheless exclusive and therefore potentially unwelcoming to more than just undocumented immigrants.
In a heavily blue state where immigrants are almost 20% of the population, this Trumpified rhetoric stemming from Diehl and the MassGOP is unlikely to gain enough support to win the election. While a number of factors are at play, the fact of the matter is that Healey currently stands at a 26-point lead over her competitor. Her appeal and promises to the Massachusetts immigrant community will surely contribute to the success she experiences as Election Day approaches. On November 8, 2022, as immigrants enter the polls, many will be voting for a candidate with their shared priorities — someone who unwaveringly champions the immigrant cause.
Image by Allaura Osborne created for use by the Harvard Political Review.
