Immigrant Voters’ Split Ticket

As American political candidates court growing numbers of Asian and Latino immigrants, so too are political contenders in overseas elections. Candidates from El Salvador and Taiwan have made certain US cities campaign stops this year. Experts say the phenomenon is occurring for both monetary and political reasons. In addition to campaign contributions, countries such as El Salvador receive more foreign currency from expatriates than from exports and foreign investment combined. This money has a significant effect on the domestic economy, giving expatriates a degree of influence over the votes of their relatives back home. Another byproduct of this trend is that insomuch as immigrants in the US tend to be pro-American, their involvement in politics back home could help boost US interests. For instance, this article notes, "many Washington area Salvadorans say they won't back a leader who creates tensions with their new country." But at the same time, some fear that in the wake of September 11 political ties to another country could bring into question the loyalties of immigrants in the United States. For now, though, voting and political contributions by expatriates may continue to affect the campaign strategies and domestic politics of candidates in their homelands. – YaleGlobal