SAN FRANCISCO – (INT) – Efforts may be unfolding in Congress to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill. Proposed legislation includes a pathway to citizenship for the nation’s roughly 11 million undocumented immigrants.

California is home to about a quarter of the nation’s undocumented population. Going forward, immigration reform could close the gap between those who vote and others who don’t, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.

In 2018, the Census Bureau found about 44% of California’s unregistered adults were noncitizens and therefore ineligible to vote, compared to 28% in the rest of the nation.

In a January PPIC Statewide Survey, Californians overwhelmingly supported (87%) allowing undocumented immigrants to remain in the country. The specifics have not been worked out, and it is possible there will be no reform at all. But if a path to citizenship is offered, it would open the door to joining the California electorate for millions of California residents.

Story Date: April 11, 2021