My simple response is: More than ever! The entire direction of immigration policy can go in the direction of a potential shutdown of any immigration not deemed essential to the country’s economy, i.e. a continuation of President Trump’s current policies, or a return to the Obama path to citizenship and an opening of immigration to allow for skilled workers, entrepreneurs, foreign family members of US citizens and green card holders, and even refugees, asylees and current undocumented immigrants, who might finally have a path to citizenship.

The congressional election outcomes will determine HOW FAR we can go down one of these two paths: Majority in both houses in line with the Presidential seat means a potential to really carry out an immigration plan by way or legislative action, as opposed to the executive actions, which we have seen over the last 12 years.

The extent to which immigrants can have a voice is also dependent on these outcomes. A path to citizenship would mean 12 million potential voters who would sway swing states to permanently Democratic. A majority of congress would mean that this path might be possible. A loss by Joe Biden would give the President carte blanche to continue shutting down immigration to the U.S. and depriving it of potentially trillions of dollars of investment and the creation of hundreds of thousands of new jobs.

Those who sit on the sidelines cannot reserve any right to complain! Those who vote for President Trump must understand that they are voting in favor of measures that affect their friends and relatives, employers, and co-workers and sends us further away from the ethos of the U.S. that may take decades to undo.

Either way, it is time to make your voice heard and vote!