Hong Inh, 103 year old Cambodian immigrant, becomes a US citizen. She came to America in 2011. She was one of over 10,000 immigrants who became US Citizens on August 22, 2017 in Los Angeles.
It’s widely reported and known that immigrant and minority communities are playing an increasingly important role in the election process and never more so than in recent years. With Trump in the White House and putting an end to DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), immigrants feel they are under attack by the country which traditionally threw its’ arms open to them. The GOP has long struggled to win the immigrant segment of the populist vote and appears poised for more challenges as Trump advances his campaign pledges to build a wall, ban Muslim immigrants from certain countries and deport Dreamers. Thus, the role played by New Americans, those naturalized in the US but born elsewhere, will play an increasingly important role in future elections. The large surge in 2016 by immigrants obtaining citizenship appears to be a harbinger of things to come. The LA Times, CNN, The Washington Post and others reported that courts worked overtime to accommodate the large influx of citizenship applications in 2016 and the most recent figures show a 21% increase over that year.
In fact, in ONE DAY alone, August 22, 2017, over 10,200 immigrants from more than 120 countries became US Citizens just in Los Angeles. The top countries represented were 1) Mexico; 2) Philippines; 3) China; 4) El Salvador 5) Korea; 6) Vietnam; 7) India; 8) Iran; 9) Guatemala; and 10) Canada
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THE BATTLE FOR VOTES:
After receiving their citizenship, the “New Americans” exit the LA Convention Center and are immediately solicited to join the Republican or Democratic party. Democrats openly court the “New Americans” with an anti-Trump message. Donald Trump has called for a ban on Muslim immigration and is in favor of building a wall along the US/Mexico border. Can the GOP overcome this to register naturalized citizens to their party? Immigrants have registered pre-dominately as Democrats in urban areas such as Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco.
A Portion of This Project Was Published by PRI (Public Radio International) in October 2016. To View, Please Visit http://bit.ly/2e7MYMp.
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- Over 6,600 Immigrants from more than 130 countries were sworn in as new citizens of the United States at a naturalization ceremony in Los Angeles.
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- More than 10,200 immigrants are sworn in as United States citizens on August 22, 2017 ceremony in Los Angeles.
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- New Americans greet friends and family while leaving the ceremony.
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- A surge in citizenship continues in Los Angeles as over 10,200 people from 120 countries to their citizenship oath in one day in August, 2017.
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- New Americans are immediately provided the opportunity to register to vote before they even leave the LA Convention Center where they became citizens.
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- Over 120 countries were represented at the August naturalization ceremony in Los Angeles.
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- The Democratic and Republican parties set-up voter registration tents immediately outside the naturalization ceremony. The New Americans are solicited by Republicans and Democrats to register with their party.
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- A member of the Democratic party greets a New American leaving the naturalization ceremony.
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- Republican Trump supporters appeal to New Americans to join their party and vote for Donald Trump in the 2016 election.
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- Democrats appeal to two Muslim women who had just become new US citizens to join their party.
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- Republicans put on their best face as New Americans leave the naturalization ceremony.
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- The scene outside the LA convention center where New Americans exit with their citizenship papers is chaotic. One latino man was coaxed by Trump supporters to the Republican party table before he politely excused himself and left without registering to vote.
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- Democratic volunteers cheer after getting a New American to register with their party.
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- California leans strongly toward the Democrats. Members of the Republican party had a hard time convincing New Americans leaving the naturalization ceremony to vote for the party of Donald Trump, especially given Trump’s anti-immigrant views and rhetoric.
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- One of the over 6,600 Immigrants from more than 130 countries cheers after the judge welcomed them as US citizens.
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- Jesus Ramirez, 90 yrs old, became a citizen on May 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. He immediately registered as a Democrat and plans to vote in the 2016 election.
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- Maria Murcia, 81, naturalized as a US Citizen moments earlier, registered with the Democratic Party and said she would vote in the 2016 election for Hillary Clinton.
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- Esteban Orozco Infante, 67, naturalized as a US Citizen moments earlier, registered with the Democratic Party so he could vote in the 2016 election for Hillary Clinton.
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- John Dixon, 35, having just received his naturalized citizenship at a Los Angeles ceremony moments earlier, registered with the Democratic Party.
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- Hong Inh, 103 year old Cambodian immigrant, becomes a US citizen.
To License These Images, Please Contact Todd Bigelow Photography at Legal[at]ToddBigelowPhotography[dot]com
All Images Are Registered With The United States Copyright Office. ©Todd Bigelow