The high-profile roles of Latinos in President Barack Obama’s second swearing-in underscore the growing prominence of their demographic bloc in national politics, said many Latinos who attended the ceremonies Monday. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic member of the high court, administered the oath of office to Vice President Joe Biden before Obama was sworn in by Chief Justice John Roberts.
Richard Blanco, the son of Cuban exiles, was the first Latino inaugural poet. Actress Eva Longoria led a Latino tribute to Obama that featured top Hispanic entertainers Sunday night.
“It all shows the power of Latinos in the country and how they’re finally being recognized as movers and shakers,” said Myrna Orozco, 22, an inauguration attendee from Kansas City, Mo.
The prominent inaugural roles, Hispanics say, emphasize the strength of their demographic and the likelihood that issues they care about will rank high on Obama’s agenda. After Obama’s announcement in June to block the deportation of about 800,000 undocumented youths, immigration rights activists said the time is ripe to achieve comprehensive immigration changes.
After Obama failed to deliver on his promise of overhauling immigration in his first term, some activists criticized and questioned the president’s commitment to the issue. Although he pressed for Congress to pass the Dream Act in 2010, the bill never moved. The act would have made children of illegal immigrants — under age 35 — eligible for residency if they were enrolled in school and lacked criminal records.
In his inaugural address, Obama cited immigration as an American ideal, saying, “Our journey is not complete until we find a better way to welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants who still see America as a land of opportunity.”
“It was a confirmation that immigration is something we’ll all be working on,” said Maria Cabello, a project coordinator for United We Dream, the largest advocacy network for undocumented youths. “But I don’t think it was any different from his past speeches where he mentions immigration.”
Although Obama’s immigration remarks were brief, many Latinos said they are optimistic they will gain leverage in Obama’s second term after their historic turnout helped seal his November victory.
In the 2012 election, Latinos were 10 percent of the electorate — an all-time high — and voted for Obama over Republican Mitt Romney 71 percent to 27 percent, according to the Pew Research Center. The nation’s 53 million Hispanics make up 17 percent of the U.S. population and are the fastest-growing ethnic group.
About 50,000 Latinos become eligible voters every month, said Scott Rosa, spokesman for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute.
“If all those folks get engaged in the political progress, then you’re certainly going to see an increase of Latinos in both the public and private spheres,” he said. “The sheer numbers of the Latino population should speak for itself.”
Other Latinos weren’t as impressed by the inclusion of Sotomayor and Blanco.
“It was the show and glow of politics,” said Jose Mireles, 36, an inauguration attendee from Holland, Mich. “Until we get true immigration reform that actually works, this is a facade for me. Sprinkle any people to the forefront, but in the long run, he’s masking the issues.”
Still, Hispanics remain hopeful that their interests will be recognized, whether it’s because of their growing population or political clout.
“The influence of the community used to be centralized in a few states, but now they’re everywhere,” Rosa said. “It’s become obvious that we’re a force to be reckoned with.”
