Courtesy of Zach Pan

The room in Linsly-Chittenden Hall buzzed with activity as dozens of members of the Yale College Democrats convened for their fifth meeting of the year on Monday, following a weekend of advocacy in the nation’s capital.

After former Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss in the 2024 presidential election sent Democrats reeling, Yale Dems leaders noted that this year’s group has renewed energy. 

Over the weekend, Dems sent students to Washington, D.C. where members advocated for three immigration-focused bills, and Virginia, where they canvassed for former Rep. Abigail Spanberger’s gubernatorial campaign.

“I think it’s really important — I think particularly this year, to be honest — for us to be going on these trips, to be talking to people, to not be sitting here and just like complaining and commiserating about how horrible everything is,” Julia Murphy ’27, a Dems member, said.

The organization is looking ahead to more canvassing trips, including one with the group Swing Left in New York’s 17th District, currently represented by Rep. Mike Lawler, a Republican.

The student advocacy on the immigration bills came as the Trump administration has undertaken a mass deportation campaign, which has included heightened Immigrant and Customs Enforcement activity in New Haven.

Yale Dems President Christian Thomas ’26 highlighted the importance of supporting the three bills. The first would prevent ICE from entering certain spaces such as churches, the second advocates for extended visas for immigrants and the third increases health care access for immigrants.

Alexandra Martinez-Garcia ’26, the vice president of the Yale Dems, said attendance and interest took a hit in the spring due to the apathy, disappointment and “commiseration” after Trump’s election victory last year.

“It was really hard to reckon with the fact that we had put so much work into the federal election in November,” Martinez-Garcia said. “It was really hard to see that culminate in Harris not winning.” 

However, both Martinez-Garcia and Thomas underscored recent shifts in the organization’s culture and direction.

Martinez-Garcia described members as “really excited” about the D.C. trip and said the weekly meetings have “great energy.”

Dems at Monday’s meeting had to grab more chairs from another room in Linsly-Chittenden to have enough seats for all attendees.

Last weekend’s canvassing was a jumping off point for more opportunities in the semester. Monday’s meeting also included letter writing for California voters concerning CA Proposition 50 – an effort to redraw the state’s congressional districts for Democrats’ advantage to counter a Republican redistricting push in Texas.

“I think we’re having more canvasses this semester than potentially last semester, and definitely any other semester before,” Martinez-Garcia ’26 said.

Many members stressed the importance of communicating with individual voters on canvassing trips.

Other initiatives this semester include partnering with Yale organizations and public schools in New Haven. Thomas also cited the new plans within the Dems’ election branch as an important way that members can be engaged with the national Democratic party.

Thomas said students are partnering with campaigns ranging from the Virginia governor’s race to others in Colorado and Maine.

One first-year student appreciated the emphasis on action and recent efforts the Dems have offered for students to join.

“I was honestly very interested in all the action that they’ve been doing,” Lizeth Ortiz-Calleja ’29 said when asked about why she joined the Dems. She mentioned immigration policy as one of her top interests.

Thomas called on the Dems to stand strong against the federal government’s actions.

“We’re not going to back down. We’re not going to be silent,” he said.

During fall break last year, Dems members canvassed for Harris in Philadelphia.