This article interrogates the normative assumption, underlining most political science research that greater Latino electoral participation alone will bring about empowerment and social justice for Latino communities under the conditions of neoliberalism and authoritarian state practices. In contrast to this assumption, the article illustrates how after the 2012 presidential election the political energies of Latino communities were further channeled away from grassroots militant mobilizations and organizations into support for liberal Democrats and their proposed Senate immigration reform bill, the “Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act” (S.744). Although there are some positive aspects of this bill that immigration reformers have fought to be included especially for Dreamers and agricultural workers, the author argues that this bill, and most bills dubbed as “comprehensive immigration reform” (CIR) would result in only temporary relief from deportation for a large sector of the 11 million undocumented that would qualify.