Midterm Stakes: First-time voters weigh family status

Nicole Solis-Sison became a U.S. citizen earlier this year after spending more than two decades in the immigration system. She is 34 years old and casting a ballot for the first time in a New York City election this week. Solis-Sison moved to Los Angeles at age seven when her parents fled the Philippine government. She described the experience of an Immigration and Naturalization Services agent visiting her home. That agent suggested the family file for asylum while on U.S. soil. The family was not deported. Solis-Sison said she now feels a weight to protect others in the same process.

Juan Escalante is 37 and voting in his first general election. He moved from Venezuela to the United States at age 11 and discovered his undocumented status during his junior year of high school. His parents hired a lawyer who mishandled their immigration case, leaving the family out of the line for status. Escalante gained protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in 2014. He became a citizen in 2025. He lives in California and received a mail-in ballot. He said he researched every proposition and candidate on the large ballot. He stated that his vote reflects his values as an immigrant and a Latino.

Deisy España is 24 and lives in Wisconsin. She is a U.S. citizen born in the country, but her parents are from Mexico and were undocumented for many years. España said her mother recently obtained a green card. However, the family remains cautious because of increased enforcement activity since President Trump returned to office. España said she votes for her parents, who cannot vote. She noted that the fear of detention has been a constant presence in her household.

Leydi Gonzalez is 23 and resides in Texas. She is a citizen, and her parents are from El Salvador. She turned 21 this year and petitioned for her parents' legal status. They currently have authorization to be 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. That conversation began when Trump was first elected. She cited the recent killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo by an ICE agent in Texas as a factor in her anxiety. Gonzalez is following a U.S. Senate race in Texas where Democrat James Talarico is polling ahead of Republican candidate Ken Paxton.

These voters cite specific financial and legal risks. Solis-Sison worries about buying a home and paying off student loans. Escalante focuses on the power of the vote to serve the community. España and Gonzalez both prioritize the legal standing of their parents. The group represents a demographic where personal economic security is tied directly to immigration policy. They are voting in the 2026 midterm elections.

The voters are part of a cohort that reached voting age recently. Many were born in the U.S. or naturalized after long waits. Their families include green card holders, those with work authorization, and those in pending asylum cases. The political outcome of the midterms will determine the control of Congress. That control affects the legislative agenda for immigration and economic regulation. These voters say their ballots are an extension of their family's legal status.

Solis-Sison created a personal voter guide for this election. Escalante said he was proud to be a citizen. España said the fear has not completely dissipated. Gonzalez said the stakes are high for her family. The four individuals live in New York, California, Wisconsin, and Texas. They are all voting in their first or early general elections. Their decisions reflect a mix of personal history and current policy risks.