Senator Wiener Announces Legislation to Allow Dreamers and Other Immigrants to Run for Democratic Party County Central Committee and State Delegate Seats
San Francisco– Today, Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), Dreamers, Democratic Party leaders, and immigrant rights advocates rallied to announce the introduction of Senate Bill 288. SB 288 would make it legal for Dreamers and other immigrants to run for California Democratic Party County Central Committee seats and for California Democratic Party Delegate positions. It is currently impossible for Dreamers and other immigrants to register as Democrats and thus run for these positions. A “Dreamer” is an individual born in a foreign country who was brought to the U.S. by family or others as a minor and subsequently raised in this country. Many have obtained college degrees, served in the military, and become active participants in their communities. These outdated and discriminatory rules that prohibit them from fully participating in many aspects of civic life have no place in our democracy.
“As our immigrant communities face vicious attacks from this President and his administration, California must embrace, lift up, and empower immigrant voices and leaders,” said Senator Wiener. “Immigrants contribute to our economy, culture, and civic life. They’re already leaders in our communities and should have a seat at the table. The Democratic Party will continue to lead as the party that embraces all communities, and this legislative fix will help keep us on track.”
While existing law does not explicitly require that CDP delegates and central committee members be U.S. citizens, it does specify that, in order to be elected to a position within the CDP, a person must already be registered or affiliated with the party (Elections Code §7209). Registered voters’ party preference is shown on their affidavits of registration at the time they register to vote. Since the affidavit must show an individual is eligible to vote, and non-U.S. citizens are ineligible to register to vote, Dreamers and other immigrants are unable to run for delegate or central committee seats in the CDP.
“Our Party is at its best when it empowers our communities and embraces our diversity,” said California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks. “Today, I am proud to support SB 288 to welcome our immigrant sisters and brothers into the ranks of the California Democratic Party. I look forward to its swift passage and implementation.”
SB 288 allows Dreamers and other immigrants to take on both state and local leadership roles in the CDP. This important measure will help ensure that, in a party committed to empowering and expanding the rights of immigrants, the Dreamer and immigrant perspective can be present and a part of the Democratic Party.
“I am a proud immigrant,” said Sarah Souza, a Dreamer, member of the San Francisco County Democratic Party Central Committee, and President of the San Francisco Latino Democratic Club. “I am American in every way except for documentation. I dream of the day I become a citizen and register to vote. Meanwhile, I want to pave the way for all immigrants to fully participate in the California Democratic Party regardless of citizenship. SB288 is an opportunity for California to truly stand with immigrants; representation is crucial to advancing immigrant justice. Immigrants are the bedrock of California. Therefore, it is time for immigrants to have a seat at the table. California’s non-Citizen population is more than 5 million of the more than 38 million residents of California, and the California Democratic Party is stronger when we utilize the talents of all our residents. SB288 will set an important precedent in the history of California by allowing all Californians to have the ability to represent themselves.”
An estimated 200,000 Dreamers live in California alongside a broader immigrant population of over 2.5 million. Although current law excludes Dreamers and other immigrants from taking on leadership roles in the Democratic and other political parties, a variety of related policies have aimed to better include them in other settings. In 2018, Governor Jerry Brown nominated Lizbeth Mateo to serve as an education advisor. Upon confirmation she became the first-ever Dreamer to receive a statewide appointment. In early 2019 the Chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party, David Campos, appointed a Dreamer, Sarah Souza, to serve on San Francisco’s Central Committee. Recent legislative actions have also expanded Medi-Cal and other public benefits to many immigrants. Activists and policymakers affiliated with the CDP have been on the forefront of these changes, and there is a broad appetite within the party to better incorporate the perspectives of Dreamers and other immigrants into the political process.
Also present at the press conference were Dreamer and immigrant rights advocate Adriana Souza, California Young Democrats Latino Caucus Communications Director Megan Imperial, San Francisco Young Democrats Co-President Luis Zamora, San Francisco Latino Democratic Club Vice President Kevin Ortiz, California Democratic Party Chicano Latino Caucus Secretary and Immigrant Parent Right to Vote, Prop N (2016) Campaign Manager Gabriel Medina, La Raza Community Resource Center Executive Director Melba Maldonado, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus Policy Director and Senior Staff Attorney Angela Chan, Northern California Democratic Filipino American Caucus Vice Chair Rob Chua, San Francisco Democratic Party Executive Director Han Zou, Rose Pak Democratic Club PAC Chair Queena Chen, DSA San Francisco Electoral Committee Co-Chair, Progressive Democrats of America San Francisco, and Assembly District 17 Delegate Dr. Hae Min Cho, San Francisco Youth Commission President Bahlam Vigil, Mission Economic Development Agency Director Richard Raya, and SEIU Local 2015 Coordinator Leon Chow.
SB 288 is co-authored by Senators Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica), Anna Caballero (D-Salinas), Maria Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles), Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach), Ben Hueso (D-San Diego), and Richard Pan (D-Sacramento), and Assemblymembers David Chiu (D-San Francisco), Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) and Phil Ting (D-San Francisco).
Additional Quotes:
“We need to update this rule if our party is truly committed to empowering our immigrant communities,” said Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, Chairwoman of California’s Legislative Latino Caucus. “Our DREAMers and immigrant constituents are some of the most actively-engaged community members. They are the leaders we need within the California Democratic Party.”
“It is long past time we ensure our immigrant communities have a seat at the table in the political process,” said Assemblymember Chiu, Chair of the California Legislative API Caucus. “I am proud to co-author this effort with Senator Wiener to give all Californians a voice in our Party.”
“I support SB 288 because it gives our Dreamers and other undocumented immigrants an opportunity to participate in our democratic process by allowing them to serve freely and openly as full members of the California Democratic Party,” said David Campos, Chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party. “It allows them to come out of the shadows, to have a seat at the table.”
“California is home to 2 million undocumented individuals. SB 288 provides opportunities for undocumented individuals, who are already at the margins of our society, to be given a legitimate seat at the table within the Democratic Party. This bill was spearheaded by Dreamer, Sarah Souza. We are proud that Senator Wiener has been and continues to be an ally in the fight to uplift immigrant communities, regardless of citizenship status.” –California Young Democrats Latinx Caucus
“I want to acknowledge the Ohlone people on whose land we live and work, and to whom we are all immigrants,” said Dr. HaeMin Cho, Co-Chair of DSA SF Electoral Committee and Progressive Democrats of America SF, and Assembly District 17 delegate. “I came to this country when I was 2 years old, an undocumented economic refugee from post-war South Korea. We are facing a humanitarian crisis at our border, in our cities, and on our planet. There is only one race and one planet. Thank you Latino Democratic Club President Sarah Souza and SF Democratic County Central Committee Chair David Campos for uplifting all immigrant communities and helping us to have a voice in the political process of the Democratic Party.”
Full text of the bill can be found here.
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