Student voting on immigration in midterm elections

By Rebecca Montgomery

Rebecca Maldonado believes the most important issue facing the country is immigration. Although she is originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, 20-year-old Maldonado is registered and plans to exercise her right to vote in Washington D.C., this November.

Immigration is an important issue to Maldonado, a junior majoring in math and economics because she says she has seen how “it affects so many people.”

“Everyone I talk to has a relative or somebody that’s going through some sort of immigration problem,” Maldonado said.

For Maldonado, a candidate’s support of President Donald Trump is also important for her to consider when deciding who to vote for in November. It particularly concerns her if a candidate has similar views to Trump on immigration.

“If their policies align with Trump’s, especially on immigration, it’s a big deal,” said Maldonado.

She also wants to see politicians take into account immigrants’ stories when it comes to the contentious political issue.

“I’d just want them to take into consideration people’s families and all the backstories, instead of making blanket assumptions,” Maldonado said.

Immigration is not the only issue Maldonado cares about this November. She is also concerned about education, particularly about student loans.

“I just think about how after I graduate, how that plays out. How it will be finding a job and that kind of stuff,” she said.

Maldonado also brought up her concern with how veterans are treated. This political issue is important to her because she said she has listened to the stories of her family and close friends who are veterans and has heard “how they’re not given the right resources.”

From politicians, there are a couple of things she wants to see them do to help veterans.

“Just more awareness and just to ask them in what ways they can be helped,” she said.