Latino socialist candidates push ICE abolition and affordable housing in New York elections
Claire Valdez and Darializa Ávila Chevalier, two young Latina socialists, have secured Democratic nominations for Congress and are campaigning on ending ICE and tackling rent pressures in New York.
On the cover of The Indypendent, Claire Valdez and Darializa Ávila Chevalier appeared smiling, foreshadowing their later success as Democratic nominees for New York's 7th and 13th congressional districts. Backed by mayor Zohran Mamdani, the two Latina socialists—Valdez with Mexican roots and Chevalier a daughter of Dominican immigrants—have centered their platforms on abolishing ICE, easing rent burdens, and expanding workers' rights.
A DSA Latino event featuring Diana Moreno, Illapa Sairitupac, Valdez and Chevalier underscored a growing wave of Latino activists emerging from community organizing, art, and academia. They cite personal encounters with immigration enforcement and low-wage work as motivation, and they reject funding from groups like AIPAC while condemning the Gaza conflict. The candidates view their election bids as a test of democratic socialism’s appeal amid criticism from both the right and mainstream Democrats, urging the party to deliver comprehensive, humane immigration policy.
Why it matters
The race shows how Latino socialist voices are reshaping New York politics and demanding immigration and housing reforms.
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