Mobilizing Immigrant Families
A Strategy to Counter Trump
Born in Iowa, where Republican Governor Bob Ray welcomed approximately 2,500-3,000 Vietnamese “Boat People” fleeing the aftermath of the Vietnam War, I grew up believing in America as a beacon for immigrants. That belief has been reinforced by my travels to over 50 countries, where I’ve seen the universal drive for family, opportunity, and dignity. Since moving to North Carolina in 2010, I’ve witnessed the state’s growing diversity and the challenges immigrant communities face under threats like those posed by Donald Trump’s divisive policies. As Co-Founder of American Muckrakers, a longtime Democratic activist, and a former candidate for North Carolina Senate and Commissioner of Insurance, I see a clear path forward: mobilizing the millions of Americans with family ties to Mexico, India, China, and Japan. With 45 million Americans connected to Mexico, 16 million Indian citizens with U.S. relatives, and millions more linked to Asian nations, Democrats can forge a coalition to flip key states and defeat Trump’s agenda—if we act with urgency and vision.
A Global Perspective, Rooted in Iowa and North Carolina
In Iowa, I saw how Governor Ray’s compassionate resettlement of Vietnamese refugees transformed communities. He use Federal and State resources to bring those families to Iowa, find them homes, teach them English, and assist getting their kids in school. Those families, including the Bui family in my hometown of Norwalk, became integral to our state. The Buis were welcomed with open arms, their children excelling in our schools and the Methodist church and one even crowned homecoming king. That early lesson in inclusion has stayed with me, deepened by my travels across more than 50 countries. From markets in India to villages in Mexico, I’ve met families whose dreams mirror those of immigrants here—security, education, a better life for their children. Since settling in North Carolina in 2010, I’ve seen these aspirations in the Latino farmworkers of our rural counties and the Indian tech professionals in the Research Triangle. Our small community of Spruce Pine thrives today because of our Mexican brothers and sisters living, working, and feeding us. But Trump’s rhetoric—mass deportations, border walls, anti-immigrant policies threatens their futures. As someone who has campaigned across North Carolina, knocking on doors and listening to voters’ fears, I believe we can unite these communities into a powerful voting bloc. The numbers tell a compelling story.
The Numbers: A Demographic Powerhouse
The United States is home to 50.6 million immigrants, the largest immigrant population globally, making up 15.3% of our nation. Mexicans lead with 10.7 million immigrants (23% of the total), followed by India (2.8 million, 6%), China (2.2 million, 5%), and the Philippines (2.0 million, 4%). Japanese immigrants, though smaller at around 400,000, remain significant in states like California. Beyond these first-generation immigrants, millions of Americans maintain family ties abroad. An estimated 45 million have relatives in Mexico, and I estimate, based on migration patterns, that 16 million Indian citizens have close relatives in the U.S., with similar networks for Chinese and Japanese families.
These aren’t just statistics. They’re people with stories. In North Carolina, where Latinos make up 10% of the population and Asian Americans are the fastest-growing demographic, I’ve heard their concerns firsthand. A Mexican American voter in Durham shared her fear of deportation separating her family. An Indian American entrepreneur in Cary described visa delays keeping his siblings apart. My travels have shown me these struggles are global, but here in North Carolina, they’re personal and political. These communities are a sleeping giant, ready to be mobilized.
Key States: Where Naturalized Immigrants Can Flip the Vote
Naturalized citizens, eligible to vote, are a growing force in swing states where elections hinge on slim margins. Between 2020 and 2024, 3.5 million immigrants became U.S. citizens, with significant numbers in battlegrounds that could flip Democratic. Here’s how:
Arizona: With 9% of eligible voters naturalized (many Mexican), Arizona flipped blue in 2020 by 10,457 votes. Over 31,000 new citizens were naturalized from 2021–2022, outpacing Biden’s margin, with Mexican Americans concentrated in Maricopa County.
Georgia: Home to 574,000 naturalized voters (7% of the electorate, including Indians and Chinese), Georgia went Democratic in 2020 by 11,779 votes. Over 46,000 new citizens by 2022, particularly in Atlanta’s diverse suburbs, could solidify this shift.
Nevada: Naturalized citizens, often Mexican and Filipino, make up 14% of voters. Biden won by 33,596 votes in 2020, with 15,000 new citizens by 2022, enough to secure Clark County’s Latino and Asian vote.
North Carolina: My home state, with 37,000 new citizens by 2022 (many Latino and Asian), saw Trump win by 74,483 votes in 2020. With 200,900 new eligible Latino voters by 2020, these immigrant communities could turn North Carolina blue.
Pennsylvania: With 546,000 naturalized voters (5% of the electorate, including Indians), Biden won by 80,555 votes in 2020. Over 70,600 new citizens from 2021–2023, especially in Philadelphia’s Asian communities, could lock in this state.
These states, where naturalized citizens outnumber recent victory margins, are ripe for Democratic outreach. My Iowa experience with Vietnamese refugees and global travels underscore the urgency: families in these states share the fears of separation I’ve seen abroad, making them a potent political force.
Why Mobilize Immigrant Families?
Trump’s policies provide a unifying rallying point. His deportation threats and immigration restrictions strike at the heart of these families’ values: unity and opportunity. The 45 million Americans with Mexican ties, concentrated in Arizona, Nevada, and North Carolina, are a formidable force. Add the 5.4 million Indian Americans, 4 million Chinese Americans, and 1.5 million Japanese Americans, and you have a coalition that could reshape elections. In 2020, 60% of Latino voters and 61% of Asian American voters backed Biden, but Trump captured 35–40% of Latinos in states like Florida. We can’t afford to lose ground again.
As co-founder of American Muckrakers, I’ve learned that exposing truths and building grassroots momentum are inseparable. We need a campaign that speaks to these families’ shared experiences, drawing on the universal values I’ve seen in my travels, family, resilience, hope. By uniting Mexican, Indian, Chinese, and Japanese communities, we can create a movement that resonates from Norwalk, Iowa, to Spruce Pine, North Carolina, and beyond.
Challenges and Opportunities
This coalition faces hurdles. Immigrant communities are diverse, with distinct priorities. Some Mexican American voters in North Carolina prioritize jobs over immigration reform, while Indian Americans may lean conservative on economic issues. Trump’s appeal to working-class Latinos and Asian Americans, emphasizing jobs and anti-elite rhetoric, complicates our task. Voter turnout is another challenge: only 59% of eligible Asian American voters turned out in 2020, and Latino turnout trails other groups.
A campaign highlighting family separation or immigrants’ contributions including farmworkers, doctors, entrepreneurs can bridge divides. Grassroots organizing through churches, cultural festivals, and community leaders, as I’ve seen in Mexico and India, can unite these groups. Voter registration drives targeting the 45 million with Mexican ties and millions with Asian connections could flip battleground states like North Carolina, where elections are decided by narrow margins.
A Call to Action
My Iowa roots, where the Bui family thrived, my global travels, and 15 years in North Carolina, where Spruce Pine’s Mexican community flourishes, have shown me that immigrant families are America’s strength. As Democrats, we must launch a campaign, call it “Families United”, to register voters, share stories, and build coalitions across Mexican, Indian, Chinese, and Japanese communities. Let’s use these ideas to rally support and target Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. We can turn family ties into votes, ensuring Trump’s vision of division never prevails.
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