Conservative allegations that Democrats aim to grant U.S. citizenship and voting rights to millions of illegal aliens, thereby securing a permanent electoral majority, are often dismissed by Democrats as unfounded “racist conspiracy theories.” Proponents of this theory argue that Democrats’ actions at the southern border suggest otherwise.
On Tuesday, President Joe Biden issued an executive order providing deportation protections to over 500,000 illegal aliens married to U.S. citizens. According to the BBC, this order enables these individuals to “work in the US legally” and sets them on a path to citizenship. To qualify, aliens must have resided in the U.S. for at least ten years and been married by June 17, as specified by the White House. Critics liken this move to the controversial Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program initiated by former President Obama.
Despite three years of what many view as lax border enforcement under Biden, Democrats insist they are not seeking to distribute U.S. citizenship and voting rights indiscriminately. Here are five examples highlighting Democrats’ stance on the issue of illegal aliens voting in U.S. elections.
- Alien Voting in Local Elections
Cities in California, Maryland, and Vermont permit aliens to vote in municipal elections. For instance, in 2022, Oakland voters approved a measure allowing noncitizen parents and caregivers of children in Oakland Unified School District to vote in school board elections. Similarly, Burlington, Vermont, authorized alien voting in local races in March 2023. Although vetoed by Governor Phil Scott, the measure was enacted after the state legislature overrode the veto in June 2023. However, a 2021 New York City law allowing some foreign nationals to vote in local elections was struck down as unconstitutional by the New York Supreme Court in 2022.
- Fight to Preserve Alien Voting in D.C. Elections
Washington, D.C. Democrats passed a law in 2022 permitting noncitizens to vote in municipal elections. House Republicans, exercising their constitutional oversight, blocked this law in February 2023, with 42 House Democrats supporting the bill. Despite this, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer prevented the measure from reaching the Senate floor. A similar bill passed the House in 2023, with 52 Democrats in favor and 143 opposed, but it remains unaddressed by the Senate.
- Opposition to the SAVE Act
The SAVE Act, introduced by congressional Republicans, aims to close loopholes that allow foreign nationals to register and vote in U.S. elections. Despite federal law prohibiting foreign voting in federal elections, there is no enforcement mechanism. The 2013 Supreme Court ruling prohibits states from requiring proof of U.S. citizenship for federal voter registration forms. Democrats and media outlets have consistently downplayed the necessity of the SAVE Act. Left-wing groups have opposed the bill, claiming it aims to intimidate immigrant communities and voters of color without providing supporting evidence.
- Democrat Confessions
Some Democrats have openly discussed granting voting rights to foreign nationals. For example, Maryland Democrat Rep. Jamie Raskin, who opposed a GOP bill to prohibit alien voting in D.C., authored a paper in 1993 defending “Alien Suffrage,” arguing that the disenfranchisement of noncitizens is neither constitutionally required nor historically normal.
- Lawfare Against Proof of Citizenship Voting Requirements
Democrats have utilized the legal system to challenge Republican-backed election integrity laws. In July 2022, the Biden Department of Justice sued Arizona over its law requiring proof of citizenship to vote for president, claiming it was discriminatory. U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton ruled in favor of Arizona, stating that the state’s interest in preventing non-citizens from voting outweighed any burdens on voters. However, Bolton’s decision limited some of Arizona’s efforts to secure its voter rolls.
