During a Senate Judiciary hearing on the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) asked the Democrat witnesses to answer a series of questions about non-citizens voting with either a “yes” or “no” response. None of the witnesses could affirm that only U.S. citizens should have the right to vote.
“Do you believe that only citizens of the United States should be able to vote in federal elections?” Lee asked each of the witnesses.
In each of their responses, the witnesses came up with different reasons and ways not to simply answer “yes.”
“We don’t have a position about non-citizens voting in federal elections, we believe that’s what the current laws are, and so we’re certainly fighting for everyone who is eligible under current law to vote,” said Damon T. Hewitt, Executive Director of The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
“States decide who gets to vote in various elections, and in federal elections I believe that we should be encouraging people to naturalize and then vote,” Lydia Camarillo, President of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, said.
Only two of the witnesses at the hearing, both Republican witnesses, said that they do not believe that non-citizens should be able to vote in federal elections.
It is illegal for non-citizens to vote in federal elections.
The vast majority of Americans agree that photo ID should be required to vote.
Why do some people in Washington oppose this simple measure to secure our elections? pic.twitter.com/oj0vkXHqIf
— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) March 12, 2024
A recent NPR article states, “The idea that people are being shuttled into the U.S. to influence elections is a familiar tale for seasoned election officials,” downplaying the idea that illegal immigrants could vote in the upcoming presidential election. The same article stated that this is a myth that began in the late 1800s.
At the same time, some Republican leaders fear there is some truth to the idea and that a close election like the one slated for 2024 could be easily swayed one way or the other.
.@WesleyHuntTX: “The John Lewis Voting Advancement Act is not about protecting voting rights. It’s about solidifying Democrat power nationally. It’s about federal control over state and local elections… It’s about diminishing the security of our elections.” pic.twitter.com/6O3kfcwofF
— Senate Judiciary Republicans (@SenJudiciaryGOP) March 12, 2024
“I absolutely believe this is intentional, and one of the reasons the Biden administration is allowing all these illegals to flood the country,” said Cleta Mitchell who used to be an adviser for former President Donald Trump. “They’re taking them into counties across the country, so that they can get those people registered, they can vote for them.”
The first statement on the “Elections and Voting” page of the White House website states, “One of the most important rights of American citizens is the franchise—the right to vote,” agreeing with the premise that only American citizens can vote. The Democrat witnesses at the Judiciary Hearing should have been able to clearly agree.
