All articles tagged with #noncitizen voting
In Los Angeles, the first arrest in a broader Trump-era election-fraud crackdown—Honduran national Darwin Jonathan Rivera Flores—charges him with fraudulent voter registration and false citizenship claims; the DOJ says California's safeguards have allowed noncitizens to register and urges a comprehensive voter-roll audit, while Rivera Flores, who did not vote, faces possible deportation if convicted.
Declassified White House election‑integrity memos and allied rhetoric have rekindled talk of a presidential national emergency to “nationalize” U.S. elections ahead of the 2026 midterms, triggering concern among voting experts and plans from Democrats to counter potential disinformation and procedural threats. Experts say such an emergency would face constitutional limits and could not override state election administration, while data on noncitizen voting is criticized as overstated or methodologically flawed. The administration and its supporters push broader oversight proposals like the Save America Act, but practical and legal hurdles remain significant.
DHS told Nevada officials that only 185 people on the state’s voter rolls are confirmed noncitizens after manual review, from an initial ceiling of about 15,903 potential cases and 6,218 more flagged for review. The broader claim of up to 278,000 noncitizens across four states was described as preliminary and not fully vetted, drawing skepticism from experts over the lack of disclosed methodology and data transparency amid political debate over election integrity.
State officials in California, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey are pressing DHS Secretary Mullin to justify his claim that tens of thousands of noncitizens are on their voter rolls, demanding data sources and methodology, including whether AI was used, and unredacted rolls. California, Nevada and Pennsylvania have declined to share voter data due to privacy and concerns about accuracy; New Jersey found far fewer noncitizens than DHS claimed and said it would not disclose details. DHS has not commented yet. The dispute arises as Trump emphasizes alleged voter fraud.
New Jersey officials say a serious DMV software error caused about 6,600 noncitizens to be registered to vote; the state is removing the ineligible registrants, and fewer than 400 ballots were cast by them in 2024. Democrats emphasize accountability but reject claims of widespread fraud, urging election-integrity measures such as stronger software reviews and paper trails, while noting DHS preliminary findings that about 250,000 potential noncitizens may be on voter rolls in four states.
The Trump administration’s DHS, led by Markwayne Mullin, is pushing states to act on claims that hundreds of thousands of noncitizens are illegally registered to vote, based on SAVE data that DHS itself says is unverified. State officials and courts have pushed back, noting the figures are hedged and require further verification. While DHS touts tallies of potential noncitizens, election officials warn the data could be inflated and used to cast doubt on election results; in several cases, only a small fraction of flagged individuals are found to have voted, and legal challenges have blocked broad data sharing.
The Justice Department sent letters to all 50 states and the District of Columbia warning that officials could face criminal penalties for aiding noncitizen voting and gave five days to explain how they will comply with federal voter eligibility rules and maintain “clean voter lists.” Signed by Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, the letters say intentional acts that dilute citizens’ votes could violate federal law. The move signals a broader DOJ push to increase federal oversight of elections and data requests, drawing both compliance and criticism as courts have dismissed several of the DOJ’s attempts to seize voter rolls.
The Republican-controlled House is advancing bills to overturn D.C. laws on noncitizen voting, policing, and immigration cooperation, while also delaying a crucial budget fix for the city, sparking opposition from local leaders and Democrats.
Voters in eight states, including Idaho, Iowa, and Missouri, approved Republican-backed constitutional amendments to explicitly ban noncitizens from voting in state and local elections, despite it already being illegal. These measures, passed by GOP-controlled legislatures, are seen as part of a broader strategy to emphasize unsubstantiated claims of widespread noncitizen voting. The amendments aim to modify state constitutions to specify that only U.S. citizens can vote, amid ongoing Republican efforts to address alleged voter fraud.
The U.S. House has voted for the second consecutive year to block noncitizens from voting in D.C. local elections, with 52 Democrats joining Republicans in a 262 to 143 vote, marking significant congressional intervention in D.C. affairs just before the June 4 primary election.
A study by Just Facts warns that up to 2.7 million noncitizens could illegally vote in the upcoming November elections, potentially altering results. The study highlights lax enforcement of citizenship verification in voter registration, with experts expressing concerns over the impact on election integrity. House Republicans have introduced a bill to require proof of citizenship for voter registration, but its passage is uncertain.
The House passed a measure to repeal a D.C. law allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections, with 52 Democrats joining Republicans. The bill is unlikely to pass in the Democratic-led Senate but serves to amplify false claims of widespread illegal voting by noncitizens, a narrative pushed by former President Trump and echoed by congressional Republicans.
The House of Representatives voted 262-143 to repeal a Washington, D.C. law that allows noncitizens to vote in local elections, with 52 Democrats joining Republicans in support. The law, passed by D.C.'s progressive city council in 2022, faced criticism from Republicans who argued it could compromise national security and election integrity. Democrats countered that the law primarily benefits permanent residents on the path to citizenship. The vote is part of a broader GOP effort to tighten voting security ahead of the 2024 elections.
The House of Representatives voted 262 to 143 to repeal a Washington, D.C. law that allows noncitizens to vote in local elections, with 52 Democrats joining Republicans in support. The law, passed by D.C.'s progressive city council in 2022, had survived a court challenge earlier this year. Republicans argue that allowing noncitizens to vote could pose national security risks and potentially sway election outcomes, while Democrats contend that the law is intended for permanent residents on the path to citizenship.
Former President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson proposed new legislation to address noncitizen voting, despite it already being illegal and rare. The bill would require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote, but critics argue it could disenfranchise millions. Investigations have found minimal evidence of noncitizen voting, with just 30 suspected cases out of 23.5 million votes in 2016. Both Trump and Johnson have a history of promoting baseless claims about election integrity, and experts note that instances of noncitizen voting are often due to misunderstandings or mistakes.