Another hurdle for immigrants in the form of voting difficulties

Many active voters in Los Angeles who also happen to be immigrants could find themselves in a bind soon. The path to citizenship is steep and difficult and now some states are implementing laws which could make the wait even less bearable for immigrants by limiting what opportunities they have.

While many activists have been working to change laws in the U.S. so that immigrants find it easier to obtain citizenship, there are other people who are changing the law so that it makes things even more difficult for immigrants. In a recent example, Kansas and Arizona have both implemented a new law which would require proof of citizenship in order for a person to be able to register for voting purposes. In some cases, more than one proof of citizenship is required.

Many believe that this is not only bad news for immigrants, but for older residents, recently moved residents and college students who are attending an out of state college as well. It was stated that Kansas ended up turning down roughly 15,000 people who were unable to register for the vote because they reportedly did not have enough or proper documentation.

This is a major setback for immigrants when it comes to getting their voices heard. With the path to obtaining citizenship already being a rough and rocky road, the fact that immigrants now have to potentially wait to voice political opinions may make things even more difficult. This is why anyone who is currently struggling to obtain citizenship may find themselves benefiting from the aid of an immigration attorney.

Source: NBC News, “Court Approves Arizona, Kansas Citizenship Proof for Voters,” Mar. 20, 2014