The recent congressional hearing on noncitizens voting in U.S. elections was opened by Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wis.), who strongly condemned the practice. He emphasized that only Americans should be contributing and voting in elections, cautioning against the 7 million illegal immigrants who entered the country during the Biden administration. This sentiment was echoed by Rep. Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.), who dismissed concerns about noncitizen voting as a nonissue perpetuated by some Republicans. Morelle criticized former President Donald Trump and his supporters for spreading misinformation and casting doubt on the election system. The ongoing debate on election integrity and noncitizen voting was a central point of discussion during the hearing, with witnesses emphasizing the need for factual accuracy and addressing voter suppression concerns. The political implications of these debates, including President Trump’s potential reelection and his administration’s plans for the future, were also highlighted. The hearing shed light on the challenges and controversies surrounding voting rights and election security in the United States.
According to a district court study conducted over two years, 3 percent of the 30,000 individuals called for jury duty from voter registration rolls were not U.S. citizens.
Mr. Spakovsky expressed concern about aliens registering and voting, citing a study that estimated 27 percent of noncitizens in the U.S. are registered to vote, with 3 percent of them voting illegally in the upcoming election.
He emphasized that voter roll maintenance is primarily the responsibility of states, with limited federal involvement.
Mr. Spakovsky recommended sharing databases like the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlement program and E-Verify with state election officials to verify citizenship status. He also suggested utilizing data from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Social Security Administration.
Federal Government ‘an Impediment’
Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd highlighted the inadequacy of the SAVE database for verifying citizenship status for voter registration in his state. He noted the challenges in removing noncitizens from voter rolls and criticized federal restrictions on states’ ability to require proof of citizenship.
Mr. Byrd emphasized the need for federal cooperation in verifying citizenship status and highlighted Florida’s constitutional amendment to restrict voting eligibility to U.S. citizens.
He stressed the importance of preventing illegitimate votes from noncitizens to protect the integrity of elections.
Foreign Nationals Contribute Millions
Caitlin Sutherland, representing Americans for Public Trust, raised concerns about foreign nationals illegally contributing millions of dollars to state ballot initiatives through nonprofit organizations and political action committees.
Rep. Mike Carey shared examples of foreign money influencing campaign finance in Ohio and called for closing loopholes to safeguard American elections for citizens.
Throughout the hearing, lawmakers and witnesses debated political issues, but Rep. Barry Loudermilk emphasized that election integrity should be nonpartisan and a top priority for Americans.
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