Following allegations of 400 noncitizens voting in the general election of 2024, Katie Britt spearheads the movement.
In an effort to stop what they characterize as a dangerous practice that permits noncitizens, including illegal immigrants, to cast ballots in municipal elections, Senate Republicans, led by Senator Katie Britt of Alabama, are attempting to exert federal jurisdiction over Washington, D.C.
The initiative was prompted by claims that some 400 noncitizens cast ballots in the general election of 2024, with about 100 of them taking part in the primary.
The IIRAIRA, a 1996 law introduced by then-Rep. C.W. Young, R-Fla., prohibits noncitizens from casting ballots in federal elections. They are still able to cast ballots in municipal elections, though, in places like Washington, D.C.
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While the majority of states forbid such participation, D.C. is one of several jurisdictions that allow noncitizen voting at the local level, including portions of Maryland, New York, Vermont, and California (in specific school board elections).
Congress has special constitutional powers over the District of Columbia, allowing it to interfere in almost every area of its administration, including the repeal of municipal legislation.
The Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022, which permitted the practice, would be repealed and noncitizens would not be allowed to vote in D.C. elections under Sen. Britt’s proposed legislation.
Fixing potholes and local school boards aren’t the only issues here. “This concerns the course of our country’s capital,” Britt stated.
Claims that non-citizen voting in New York is a fantasy are utterly false, according to a Democratic Representative.
The D.C. City Council decided to blatantly transgress one of democracy’s fundamental tenets in the city that symbolizes the strongest democracy in the world. Every American citizen, whether or not they reside in Washington, should be the only ones choosing their representatives in all elections and at all governmental levels, therefore this is a slap in the face.
It is our responsibility to preserve the votes of industrious Americans and people who entered the nation lawfully and invested the time and energy necessary to complete the naturalization process, so I hope we can secure bipartisan support in the Senate for this sensible bill. In the end, this is about making our elections more reliable.
Ana Lemus, an El Salvadorian lady who immigrated to the United States more than ten years ago, was one of numerous noncitizen voters who spoke to the Washington Post during the most recent election. She clarified that she voted in order to address concerns such as police brutality and financial disparity.When they got there, her kid was just four years old.
Rep. August Pflueger, a Republican from Texas, has sponsored a companion bill in the House. There are now only Republican co-sponsors for Sen. Britt’s proposal, but almost 50 Democrats have endorsed Pflueger’s version.
In 1992, Takoma Park, Maryland, became the first city in the United States to allow noncitizen voting. This decision was made in part by current Representative Jamie Raskin, D-Md., who assisted in starting the local Share The Vote campaign in the community that is close to Washington, D.C.
