The 2012 presidential election was my first time voting, and it's no secret that my vote for Barack Obama was in faith that he would help the Latino community more than the other guy.
It seems that other Latinos agree with me that their votes went to Obama in the hope he would press harder for comprehensive immigration reform. In 2012, Obama received 4 percent more votes from the Latino community than he did in 2008. However, it seems that 2014 is just going to be another year of politics instead of governance, and the Latino community is angry, to say the least.
We are angry, but we are also more content with Obama than with any other candidate. Obama says he "has our backs" when it comes to helping young Latinos and Latinas have access to college education and expanding health insurance.
While the argument can be made that yes, Obama has been the most supportive president to the Latino community in terms of legal residents, he massively fails in immigration policy.
The Obama administration is on track to surpass 2 million deportations, which will exceed President George Bush's terms in office. Latino activist groups have responded to this alarming fact by calling Obama the "deporter-in-chief."
When I first heard this insulting title, I rejected it because it was disrespectful to the president and the office of the presidency. Name-calling is no way to get things done. But actually, it seems that this title has made Obama swiftly meet with Latino activists and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to discuss immigration reform.
Obama has met with Latino leaders because he fears this "deporter-in-chief" title sticking to his legacy. I haven't heard this much action being taken in a long time in regards to comprehensive immigration reform, which has always been a disappointment to Latinos from this president.
What this administration fails to understand that deporting illegal immigrants is not an isolated incident. Deporting millions of people back to their countries of origin does not just hand the problem over to Latin America, it tears the very fabric of American families.
There is a disconnect in our country of recognizing that American families are being torn apart. The media and our culture talk about immigrants as if our country's history hasn't benefited from immigration. Immigrants are more likely to be entrepreneurs than an average American.
Hopefully Obama recognizes that he would not have won the election without the Latino vote, because we're the largest minority in this country, even surpassing African-Americans. He needs to take steps to push comprehensive immigration reform at the top of his agenda now, or else I guarantee Latinos will make sure "deporter-in-chief" sticks to his legacy.
Reach the columnist at gromero7@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @gilromeo92
