Immigrant groups' aim: Turn marchers to voters

[a kennedy]

LOS ANGELES — The promise was splashed across signs that hundreds of thousands of immigrants carried in marches this spring: Hoy marchamos, mañana votamos.

The message in Spanish to Congress that "today we march, tomorrow we vote" was as American as balloons popping at a political convention.

For organizers of those nationwide demonstrations over changes to immigration law, mañana dawns with the Nov. 7 elections. Whatever action Congress may take, activists are pledging to mobilize 1 million new voters from newcomers to the USA: Hispanics, mostly, but also Koreans in Los Angeles, Hmong in Minnesota, Irish in New York City.

The "democracy summer" drive started July 1 by the We Are America Alliance offers voting and citizenship services to immigrants.

The alliance estimates that the nation's immigrant population represents an untapped resource of 12.4 million potential new voters. According to a report prepared from U.S. government statistics and released last month by the alliance, they include: 9.4 million foreign-born residents eligible to become citizens; 1.9 million children of immigrants, ages 18-24, who have not yet registered to vote, and another 1.1 million children of immigrants who will become old enough to vote by the 2008 presidential election.

Applications for citizenship, up nearly 20% over last year, are a sign of immigrants' growing determination to counter anti-immigrant legislation and rhetoric, organizers of the drive say.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-07-12-immigrant-votes-cover_x.htm