First on Fox: Governors in states across the United States are urging Congress to take action on legislation to eliminate noncitizen voting in Federal elections Amid continuing concerns about the extent of this practice.
Twelve chairs of their State Freedom Caucus, part of the State Freedom Caucus Network, are writing to members of Congress urging them to pass a State Freedom bill. American Voter Eligibility Protection (SAVE) Act..
“Illegal immigration has been a major election issue for millions of voters, and their message was heard loud and clear with the election of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States. Now is the time for Congress to listen,” they say in the letter. Letter to lawmakers, first obtained by Fox News Digital.
Voters make choices at their voting booths inside an early voting site on October 17, 2024 in Hendersonville, North Carolina. (Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)
that bill, Recently reintroduced In the House and Senate, Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, are requiring states to obtain documentary proof of U.S. citizenship and identity in person when an individual registers to vote. It also requires states to establish a program to remove noncitizens from voter rolls, and allows citizens to file suits against officials who fail to respect the law.
While only citizens can vote in federal elections, Republicans have claimed it is impossible to enforce this because non-citizens Illegal immigrants Are eligible for driver's licenses and other benefits in states, which may result in them registering to vote.
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These fears fueled the border crisis that exploded in 2021 and only subsided last year. Multiple states also announced their disinfection Thousands of non-citizens From voter lists. Critics of this campaign have said that actual voting by non-citizens is extremely rare and already illegal. But presidents have raised concerns about the surge in immigrants and pressure to increase voter registration.
“We have a huge increase in illegal aliens in our population, in addition to over 20 million non-citizens already living in our country, no oversight on where they are or what they are doing, and a government-wide mandate to encourage voter registration without proper safeguards,” he says. Heads of state.
US Border Patrol agents prepare to transport migrants to process asylum claims at the US-Mexico border in Campo, California, US, Friday, April 5, 2024. (Mark Abramson/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
the State Freedom Gathering Network It launched in 2021 with support from the House Freedom Caucus and has expanded to multiple states. The network helps statewide caucuses prepare and work to keep their state parties aligned with conservative principles in a manner similar to the House Freedom Caucus.
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In statements to Fox, the presidents made it clear that they consider the issue of non-citizen voting an important issue for their state.
“South Carolina voters want to feel the ballot box is safe,” said Jordan Pace, president of the South Carolina Freedom Caucus. “The SC has repeatedly introduced bills and amendments to achieve this by prohibiting the spending of tax dollars to provide voter forms to noncitizens, by closing primaries, and by increasing manual audits of elections. So far, moderates in “The House blocked us at every turn.”
Arizona Freedom Caucus President Jake Huffman pointed to a state bill he introduced that became law in 2022 that rejects forms without proof of citizenship.
“However, we need SAVE Act reforms in federal law to eliminate illegal registration of noncitizens under the color of law using the federal form of registration,” he said.
This push comes at a time when Congress is focusing on related issues illegal immigration, With both houses of Congress now under GOP control and with President-elect Trump soon to be inaugurated.
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Earlier this month, the Laken-Riley Act passed the House of Representatives and advanced in the Senate with support from Democrats. This bill requires the detention of illegal immigrants accused of crimes related to theft.
