Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Democrats from Lake Chapala, Mexico City, and Mazatlan joined members of Democrats Abroad Mexico's Costa Banderas Chapter in enthusiastically welcoming former California State Senator Tom Hayden and his family to the organization's annual meeting, held in Puerto Vallarta February 15-17, 2014.

Senator Hayden spoke to members of Democrats Abroad Mexico during a presentation given at the Hacienda San Angel Chapel on Monday, February 17th. One of Mr. Hayden's themes was the pivotal role now being played by US citizens living abroad in Mexico as America debates immigration reform, the status of the "Dreamers" (undocumented immigrants brought into the U.S. as children), and border security.

Mr. Hayden shared his experiences from the early 60s as one of the "Freedom Riders" (Freedom Riders were civil rights activists who rode interstate buses into the segregated southern United States in 1961 and beyond.)

He made the case that US citizens now living in Mexico have a similar role to play in the immigration debate underway in the US Congress. Just as the Freedom Riders played an important role in informing their fellow citizens about the brutal realities of a segregated South, those who now live in Mexico have a clarifying role to play with our fellow countrymen. Thanks to an under-informed media and their preconceived ideas about Mexico, the story of this magnificent Mexican culture, the tightly knit family structure, and their deeply seated religious convictions are not being properly communicated. Just as the role of those young freedom riders was to expose the truth, the job of expats today is to expose US citizens to this modern day truth; Mexicans have been and will continue to be valued members of America's diversifying racial tapestry.

Mr. Hayden discussed the politics of this issue by stating that just as America was founded and governed by White landowning men (women, minorities, and renters were not allowed in the power structure of those early days), those same restrictive forces are once again vigorously reemerging to propose voter suppression legislation, rolling back the rights of women to make decisions about their own bodies, advancing right to work laws and opposing unions, insisting upon second class citizenship for the LBGT community, and once again demonstrating a fear of "majority rule" by the ruling elite.

In support of his diagnosis of an America that talks a good game of diversity, but frankly does not walk its talk, was his analysis of the Fortune 500 corporations and their very White and very male leadership. Currently, there are 6 African-American CEOs (1.2%), 9 Asian CEOs (1.8%), 8 Latino CEOs (1.6%), and 23 women CEOs (4.6%). All together our largest corporations are led by over 90% White men, which he pointed out remains painfully close to when America was founded.

As for the Dreamers, Mr. Hayden spoke in awe of their courage, their collective intelligence, and his concern for the future of their goals. Currently, the goal of dramatically reducing the number of deportations is the number one goal of Dreamers.

Secondly, and more ominously, is the passage of the immigration reform act (as flawed a piece of legislation as it is) which passed the US Senate in 2013. Tom was hopeful that Obama can and will extend his executive order making it illegal to deport these "Dreamers", and he also advocated substantially reducing the number of deportations. He speculated that the reason Obama was deporting more Mexicans than any President in history, was his attempt to show great strength in support of our legal borders, in exchange for Republicans supporting a pathway to citizenship for those currently living in the shadows of the US. But as has been shown on numerous occasions, compromise is a dirty word in Washington these days, and with less than three years left, the chances of immigration reform are dwindling by the day.

Hence, according to Mr. Hayden, the only real option left for Obama is to renew the executive order extending rights to the Dreamers and instructing the US Attorney General to back off on deportations. Mr. Hayden, in the meantime, is hoping that the high expectations of the Dreamers do not turn into serious disillusionment with America's dysfunctional government.

As a final point of concern, Tom Hayden predicted that America's politics will almost certainly get more contentious in the upcoming years. The dye is cast, and the multi-cultural and multi-ethnic demographics of the American voter is trending toward a much more diverse and colorful electorate. However, because of the fear this shift produces in predominantly White sections of the nation, and the fear by entrepreneurs that their grip on power is being challenged, combined with the elimination of all barriers to electoral spending by this elite class, difficult political battles lie ahead.

Every American who will be voting from abroad needs to know they have a right to vote and a responsibility to our friends and neighbors here in Mexico to pass the word northward about this beautiful nation and get out and vote! U.S. citizens who are eligible to vote can do so online at VoteFromAbroad.org.