ICE, inflation and Trump: gen Z readers share their concerns heading into the voting both

Young Americans are heading into the 2026 midterms worried about prices, immigration enforcement, the climate, and the integrity of the vote itself, according to Guardian reader responses. Census Bureau data show nearly 50 million people aged 18 to 29 can vote, yet almost half are unregistered or otherwise disengaged from civic life, according to The Guardian.

Tyler, 24, who works at a church in Richfield, Minnesota, cited ICE, inflation and concerns about Donald Trump's use of the military, and said he fears manipulated results or a repeat of January 6. Charlie, 22, a library worker in Ohio, named healthcare and affordability, and favors higher taxes on the very rich. A 25-year-old maintenance worker in Connecticut said long hours and a pile of bills make voting hard, and that distrust of both parties, including Governor Ned Lamont, complicates the choice.

Emily, 28, from central Illinois, listed artificial intelligence, the war in Gaza and ICE as top worries, and wants candidates with a backbone. Matthew Doutt, a 26-year-old accountant in Knoxville, Tennessee, pointed to weakened climate protections and gerrymandering, and said he expects ICE agents at polling places to intimidate liberal voters rather than deter illegal voting.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Guardian’s reporting. Read the full story at The Guardian →