Saturday, January 19, 2008

Immigrant Impact on the Nevada Vote

















The Immigration Policy Center released the following information about immigrants voting in Nevada.
Highlights include:

1. The burgeoning Latino population may influence election outcomes; even if it is a small margin - remember the difference between Clinton and Obama in New Hampshire? Or that of Bush in the 2004 presidential election?

2. One third of the 476,000 immigrants are (or will be soon) naturalized citizens - it is very likely a high percentage will turn out on election day.

3. Aside from the key factors that influence a vote - the tone of the immigration debate will sway immigrant voter's choice. The more negative, the more voters.

4. '"Immigrants in Nevada paid roughly $2.6 billion in federal taxes and $1.6 billion in state and local taxes in 2005; ... money that immigrants earn and spend in Nevada accounts for about 25 percent of the State's Gross State Product."'

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Angela Kelley
January 15, 2008 202-742-5602 (ofc) or 202-441-5589 (cell)
akelley@ailf.org

Survey of the Studies: Immigrants' Impact at the State and Local Level
Nevada's Newest Arrivals: Their Numbers and Effect on the "Battle Born" State

Immigration and its impact locally is a hot issue, especially during this presidential election year. Both the immigration debate and the immigrant vote will likely play a role in the upcoming Nevada caucus-a state that has witnessed a recent influx of newcomers and newly registered voters. See below for the fast facts on the "Battle Born" state and its newest residents and follow the link to an IPC survey of local- and state-level studies.

Numbers Matter: President Bush won the 2004 election by a small margin, making Nevada a battleground state. Because small margins make a big difference, the growing Latino population may swing the upcoming election. The Latino population in Nevada is on the rise. Immigrants and native born comprise 19 percent of the state's population (up from nine percent in 1990). A 2007 report from the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) estimates that Latinos constitute 8.6 percent of the electorate in Nevada (and 6.6 percent of the U.S. electorate as a whole).

New Voters: According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 American Community Survey, roughly one-third of Nevada's 476,000 immigrants are naturalized U.S. citizens who are or will soon become eligible to vote. Even more important from a political standpoint, Hispanics-including not only immigrants, but their U.S.-born children and grandchildren-account for nearly one-quarter of the state's 2.5 million residents (compared to only 10 percent in 1990).

Tone Matters: Recent polling by Lake Research Partners and Public Opinion Strategies indicates that Latinos are engaged and enthusiastic about voting, and while they cite the economy, health care, and education as their top issues, immigration and the tone of the immigration debate are key factors in deciding for which candidate to vote.

Jackpot for Nevada: Immigrants' Impact is Significant and Positive: Immigrants contribute enormously to the economy of Nevada. A 2007 report from the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada found that the state's Hispanic immigrants paid roughly $2.6 billion in federal taxes and $1.6 billion in state and local taxes in 2005. The report found, "the money that immigrants earn and spend in Nevada accounts for about 25 percent of the State's Gross State Product" and "Hispanic immigrant employment, income and spending results in the creation of 108,380 jobs in Nevada." Also, Hispanic immigrants comprised approximately 16 percent of the state's entire labor force and an even higher share of workers in select industries: 81 percent in agriculture, 47 percent in construction and mining, and 22 percent in entertainment and tourist services.

To help navigate immigration issues in the year ahead, IPC's survey of local- and state-level studies provides additional insight into the contributions immigrants make in key states.


The Immigration Policy Center (IPC) is dedicated exclusively to the analysis of the economic, social, demographic, fiscal, and other impacts of immigration on the United States. The IPC is a division of the American Immigration Law Foundation, a nonprofit, tax-exempt educational foundation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.


image: http://www.map-of-usa.co.uk/images/nevada.gif

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