New Citizens and U.S.-Born Children Cast Ballots to Protect Immigrant Parents

Nicole Solis-Sison moved to the United States from the Philippines at age seven. Her family sought asylum after their home government pursued them in international immigration territory. An agent with the Immigration and Naturalization Services visited their Los Angeles home and suggested they file for asylum while on U.S. soil. That advice allowed her family to stay legally. After more than two decades in the immigration system, Solis-Sison became a citizen earlier this year. At 34, she is voting in her first New York City election.

She said she feels a responsibility to protect others going through similar processes. "I feel like I do have a weight to protect people who are going through this process, who are getting left behind and harmed because when I tell you, I've only gotten out of it with like a sliver of hope," Solis-Sison said. She created her own voter guide and diary to prepare for the ballot.

Juan Escalante grew up in south Florida and did not know he was undocumented until his junior year of high school. He is from Venezuela and moved to the U.S. at age 11. His parents hired a lawyer who mishandled their immigration case, which left them out of the line for legal status. Escalante gained protected status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. He became a citizen in 2025 and is 37. He will vote in his first general election as a California resident.

Escalante described receiving his mail-in ballot as a deeply personal moment. He researched every proposition and candidate despite the size of the ballot. "I'm proud to be an American citizen," he said. His parents hold green cards, but the family still worries about their future status. Escalante said he wants his vote to reflect his values as an immigrant, a Latino, and a first-time voter.

Deisy España is 24 and lives in Wisconsin. She was born in the U.S. and has always been a citizen, but her parents from Mexico were undocumented for many years. España recalled her mother praying during police traffic stops. She realized later that her mother feared being turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Her mother recently received a green card, but España said the fear has not completely disappeared.

España said she is voting for her parents who cannot vote. "I'm voting for my parents. I have to do it for my parents who can't vote. But even now, more than ever," she said. She noted that ICE arrests and news coverage keep the stakes high for mixed-status families.

Leydi Gonzalez is 23 and lives in Texas. She is a U.S. citizen, while her parents are from El Salvador. When she turned 21, her first priority was to petition her parents for legal status. Through her sponsorship, they now have authorization to remain in the U.S. and are awaiting residency approval. Gonzalez said her family discussed who would care for her siblings if her parents were detained or deported. She referenced the killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Texas by an ICE agent as a recent event that shook her community.

Gonzalez is watching the U.S. Senate race in Texas closely. Democrat James Talarico is polling ahead of Republican nominee Ken Paxton in the state. Gonzalez said the election feels like it is happening in her backyard. "It definitely feels like I'm voting for my family," she said. "Definitely a sense of security for my family."