Hispanic Heritage Month becomes a voter drive as immigration fears dim the festivities

Hispanic Heritage Month usually means festivals and food and art. This year many Latino groups say it has also become a race to register voters before the midterms. Fear of immigration raids has cooled some of the celebrations and organizers say that makes civic work feel even more urgent.

Canvassing in Georgia

On a September Saturday about a dozen Poder Latinx canvassers set out from an office park in Gwinnett County north of Atlanta. They knocked on 1,143 doors and spoke with 61 voters. State director Leslie Palomino compared organizing to planning a quinceañera and said a community that can pull that off can plan a trip to the polls. Over the last two weeks her team has reached more than 7,000 voters and this year the group has registered more than 5,000 people at campuses and community events.

Poder Latinx executive director Yadira Sanchez said many families do not feel safe at public events because of immigration enforcement. The group is focusing on young people and is using art and music to make voting rights feel welcoming. On Oct. 24 it will launch its largest early voting push yet with more than 500 new partner organizations.

Festivals canceled and money pooled

In Kenner Louisiana the city canceled its annual Hispanic Heritage Festival because of fear around immigration raids and concerns about funding. Advocates in Georgia say families are anxious and often not in a celebratory mood.

Four large Latino groups including Mi Familia en Acción and Latino Victory Foundation and UnidosUS and the League of United Latin American Citizens announced a coalition in July. It aims to raise Latino turnout by at least 5% over two years and to register 250,000 new voters. More than 36 million Latinos are eligible to vote this year. The Latino population has nearly doubled from 35.3 million in 2000 to 68 million in 2024.