The immigrant rights group Make the Road Action has announced its endorsement of Kamala Harris for president in the upcoming general election, marking the first time the organization has supported a presidential candidate in a general election.
Founded 15 years ago, Make the Road Action is dedicated to Latino voter engagement in key swing states like Nevada and Pennsylvania. While the group had previously backed Bernie Sanders in the 2020 presidential primaries, it had otherwise refrained from endorsing any presidential candidates. The decision to endorse Harris was made public on Thursday and shared first with the Guardian, reflecting the growing enthusiasm for her campaign.
"Harris taking on the nomination has added a new kind of energy," said Theo Oshiro, executive director at Make the Road New York. "Our members are excited. Harris is a woman of color and comes from an immigrant family. They see their children or themselves in this candidate. They feel that she understands where we are coming from."
The endorsement followed two meetings with over 250 members who debated the election's stakes before agreeing to support Harris. While the group is concerned about various issues, including housing affordability, the climate crisis, and the US government's role in Israel's war on Gaza, immigration rights were central to their deliberations.
The Trump administration's harsh immigration policies and anti-immigrant rhetoric, along with plans for mass deportations and detention camps, have intensified the group's resolve. "We are hungry and ready to fight back," Oshiro said. "This was one of those moments in history where we had to come together to beat Donald Trump."
Harris will need strong support from Latinx communities in swing states such as Pennsylvania and Nevada, where Make the Road has a significant presence. The organization aims to knock on about one million doors this election cycle, with half a million in Pennsylvania and 330,000 in Nevada.
While members acknowledged Harris's complex record on immigration, including her warning to would-be Guatemalan immigrants during her first foreign trip as vice-president, they believe she is willing to work with immigrant rights activists and push for reforms. The Biden administration's recent decision to restrict asylum at the southern border had angered many Democrats and Latino leaders, but it was followed by a plan to provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented spouses of US citizens.
"We talked about this deeply because the Biden administration, and by extension, Kamala Harris as Biden’s vice-president, have not been perfect on immigration," Oshiro said. "When we're doing endorsements, we're not picking a savior. We're picking someone we think we can move and push in the right direction."
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