Evren Barreto / The SWC Sun
A Perspective
Have you seen the news? President Trump is offering us $5,000 each if Republicans win the midterms. That’s enough to cover rent, groceries, gas, and even have a little extra. But is it worth my vote, especially knowing that Republicans are the ones pushing Trump’s mass deportation campaign and pulling us into unpopular wars?
Trump presented the stipend in a celebratory manner, claiming that our economy is doing well. But to immigrant families like mine accepting that money, it feels like a cheap bribe or even a sellout of who we are.
My mother, a woman who left behind a life in Mexico for a promising one in the United States, knew what was to come for the next four years. We had been mindful of Trump’s open anti-immigrant expression over the course of time. Actually having him in office, though, would mean his words would materialize into policy.
Two years into his presidency, nonstop conversations about staying safe and a feeling of uncertainty each time we step out of the door have become normalized in my family. As I am sure is the case for many immigrant homes nationwide. A change we’ve adapted to, but one which does not need to be prolonged. And one that certainly can’t be fixed with $5,000.
Given the existing political climate, there is little to praise. From getting our hands dirty in proxy wars to hunting down immigrants, the Trump administration has earned an approval rating of 37% according to The New York Times polls. A $5000 dividend, which we cannot entirely count on to be fruitful, wouldn’t completely undermine the issues of everyday Americans.
While Trump needlessly fuels the fire overseas, we have not seen the end of rising gas prices. Alexia Carrillo, a second-year college student who devotes much time to her daily commute for both work and school, has economic anxiety from the rising gas prices.
“Gas has been too expensive, last time I had to pay over 6 dollars,” she explains. “Something I take into account with my part time job salary. Now you have to really ask yourself, ‘how am I going to balance my paycheck?’”
Claudine Fadriquela is a second-year college student aiming for a dental school graduate program. As a daughter of two immigrant Filipino parents, she recalls one of her earliest memories inside of a plane accompanied by family, onboard to a new life. Like myself, she is also the first in her family to attend college.
“The money could help out, but it’s not life-saving.” Fadriquela explains. “Also, the money wouldn’t even go to myself. I feel a responsibility to help out my parents.”
While the cost of living rises, the anxiety in immigrant homes increases, and the unnecessary participation in costly wars continues, everyday Americans have had to face the worst of it.
During these midterm elections, our votes should speak on behalf of our values and morals. They should serve as a voice for the worried immigrant mothers, the working class, and any other group scrutinized by the Trump administration. An empty $5,000 promise is strategic, but it is us who wield the power to make our vote meaningful.
