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WASHINGTON, D.C. — As part of the New American Voters (NAV) Campaign, the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA) released new data spotlighting key demographics of the estimated 3.5 million new Americans that have naturalized since the last presidential election. The data, analyzed by the U.S. Immigration Policy Center (USIPC) at University of California San Diego and announced exclusively by NPR, reveals key demographics of New American Voters as well as their sentiments on important election issues. 

Key demographics of New American Voters:

  • New American Voters are ethnically and racially diverse. Among the top five countries of origin for people naturalizing since the last presidential election in November 2020, Mexico was the lead country, with 13.1% of all naturalizations, followed by India (6.8%), the Philippines (5.3%),  Cuba (4.3%), and the Dominican Republic (3.8%).
  • New American Voters are young to middle-aged. Nearly six in ten people who have naturalized since November 2020 are under the age of 45, with 32% aged 18-34. 
  • Over half of New American Voters are women. Of newly naturalized Americans since November 2020, 55% – or nearly 2 million – identify as female.

Gaining more insight into New American Voters, NPNA and USIPC coupled this analysis with the first-ever survey which reveals New American registered voters’ attitudes regarding immigration, the economy, and reproductive justice. The survey was fielded online from April 12 – May 3, 2024; the overall sample size was 4,164 registered voters, including an oversample of 200 naturalized citizens who are registered to vote and residing in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Texas.

Survey of New American Voters revealed:  

  • High Commitment to Vote: 96% of all voters surveyed said they “probably will vote” or “definitely will vote” in this year’s election, indicating enthusiasm among first-time naturalized voters.
  • Some Disapproval of Lawmakers’ Handling of Their Job: 65% of those surveyed believe “things in this country are headed in the wrong direction,” with 36% strongly disapproving of President Biden’s handling of his job and 37% strongly disapproving of Congress’ handling of their job.
  • Concerns about Inflation, Immigration, & Democracy: Those surveyed are most concerned about inflation/high cost of living, the economy, and immigration. 83% say protecting democracy and government institutions is “somewhat important for my vote” or “very important for my vote.”
  • Support for Humane Immigration Policies: A majority of voters surveyed support pathways to citizenship for all, including Dreamers and DACA recipients, and an efficient immigration system that protects asylum and human rights.
  • Read more on key findings here.

Said Nicole Melaku, NPNA executive director, “This new data underscores that immigrants, like US-born voters, care deeply about issues such as the economy, high cost of living, and preserving democracy. It also makes clear that when President Biden fails to deliver on his early immigration promises of protecting asylum and supporting pathways to citizenship, he adds to the growing belief that the country is headed in the wrong direction. We urge President Biden to heed the call of the New American electorate and implement voter-supported solutions that will create humane immigration pathways and benefit the economy and all American communities.”

Said Tom K. Wong, Director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Center, “New American Voters are an increasingly consequential part of our electorate and have the potential to sway election outcomes in critical states. Whoever wins these voters over in November will likely win the White House. These new data show that New American Voters care about bread-and-butter issues just like many other Americans do, but they also want to see more inclusive immigration policies from President Biden. Against the backdrop of rising anti-immigrant sentiment, these new data findings remind us that key constituencies are decidedly pro-immigrant and these preferences need to be taken into account.”

The data and polling are part of the 2024 NAV campaign’s efforts to uplift newly naturalized citizens as a powerful voting bloc this election year by conducting polling of new citizens in key election-year states and encouraging the 3.5 million newly naturalized citizens nationwide to ensure they are registered to vote and turn out to the polls this November. With newly naturalized citizens making up over 10% of the U.S. electorate, those most directly impacted by immigration and with the power to vote—New American Voters—have an outsized opportunity and responsibility to turn out to the polls. 

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The National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA) is a multi-ethnic, multiracial coalition of 70 of the nation’s largest immigrant and refugee rights organizations with reach across over 40 states. Together with our members, we advance immigrant and refugee equity and inclusion, build and expand immigration legal services and integration programming capacity, and drive campaigns that strengthen democracy through increased civic participation. See our website for more information at partnershipfornewamericans.org.