Indiana’s Legal professional Common Todd Rokita and Secretary of State Diego Morales have formally requested that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Companies (USCIS) confirm the citizenship standing of over half one million people registered to vote in Indiana.
This request, as outlined of their October 11, 2024, letter, goals to make sure that solely eligible Americans take part within the upcoming federal, state, and native elections.
“States have a compelling curiosity in defending the integrity and reliability of the electoral course of,” their letter states, echoing a 2008 U.S. Supreme Courtroom resolution.
“[P]reventing voter fraud” and thereby making certain “public confidence within the integrity of the electoral course of,” are priorities that needs to be pursued vigorously in any respect ranges of presidency in our nation.”
“They’re important to the correct functioning of our constitutional Republic. One of many chief ways in which we are able to pursue these objectives is by confirming that each particular person registered to vote in Indiana is a U.S. citizen.”
“Due to this fact, we ask, pursuant to eight U.S.C. § 1373, that USCIS confirm the citizenship standing of the people registered to vote in Indiana who’re recognized in Attachments A, B, and C of this letter,” the letter states.
The request targets 585,774 registered voters, primarily those that registered with out offering driver’s license or social safety numbers, or who’re abroad.
“Below federal legislation, it’s “illegal for any alien to vote in any election held solely or partially for the aim of electing a candidate for the workplace of President, Vice President, Presidential elector, Member of the Senate, [or] Member of the Home of Representatives.””
“Federal voter registration legal guidelines require the shape for federal elections to state “every eligibility requirement (together with citizenship). Likewise, falsely claiming to be a citizen to register to vote or to vote in a federal, state, or native election constitutes a federal felony punishable by as much as 5 years in jail.”
Indiana’s management emphasised that this verification course of is legally backed by federal statutes mandating USCIS’s cooperation in confirming the immigration or citizenship standing of people upon state request.
“Indiana is obligated by federal legislation to “carry out listing upkeep” on its statewide voter registration listing—together with eradicating voters “who are usually not eligible to vote” from the voting rolls. Indiana legislation additionally requires Indiana election officers to take steps to confirm the residency and citizenship of registered voters. State election officers are additional directed to take away ineligible voters from the voter rolls below varied circumstances.”
“Below present legislation, there isn’t a single technique for verifying to an affordable diploma of certainty the citizenship of all Indiana voters. We due to this fact search to make the most of all instruments at our disposal to confirm voters’ citizenship and assist make sure the integrity of our state’s voter registration system. A kind of instruments is supplied by federal legislation, which requires USCIS to “reply to an inquiry by a . . . State . . . authorities company, looking for to confirm or confirm the citizenship or immigration standing of any particular person throughout the jurisdiction of the company for any objective licensed by legislation.””
The clock is ticking, and with Election Day approaching, People deserve assurance that their ballots received’t be undermined by unlawful votes.
The voter registration deadline in Indiana was October 7, with early voting commencing the next day, October 8.
“A good and safe election course of begins with correct voter info,” said Secretary of State Morales.
“As Indiana’s Chief Election Officer, I’m dedicated to making sure that each registered voter in Indiana has met the authorized necessities, together with being a U.S. citizen. I’m proud to accomplice with Indiana’s Legal professional Common in taking proactive steps to assemble lacking info for individuals who accomplished their registration and not using a state-issued ID. That is essential to sustaining the integrity of our elections and growing public confidence. Solely U.S. Residents can vote in Indiana. Interval,” mentioned Diego Morales, Indiana Secretary of State.
In response to AG Todd Rokita:
FACTS:
– Solely residents are eligible to vote in our elections. That shouldn’t be controversial.
– It’s a felony below Indiana and federal legislation for an ineligible particular person to register to vote or solid a poll.
– If election officers obtain proof that a person is ineligible to vote—at any time, as much as and together with election day— they will problem their eligibility to vote.
– After registration closed on Oct. 7, we requested the USCIS to confirm the citizenship standing of all voters who registered in Indiana with out offering state-issued types of identification.
– People CAN register to vote with out offering proof of citizenship. Due to this, it’s doable for ineligible noncitizens to aim to register. Asking USCIS to assist verify citizenship is due to this fact a commonsense step to make sure the integrity of our elections. And it’s one thing that quite a few different states have performed and are doing.
– If you’re a citizen and are registered to vote, we’re defending your proper to take action with out having your vote diluted by unlawful ballots.
– The outrage from the Left over frequent sense measures to guard our elections tells you every thing you could know.
FACTS:
– Solely residents are eligible to vote in our elections. That shouldn’t be controversial.
– It’s a felony below Indiana and federal legislation for an ineligible particular person to register to vote or solid a poll.
– If election officers obtain proof that a person is ineligible… https://t.co/q2YYylTpZv
— AG Todd Rokita (@AGToddRokita) October 23, 2024
Learn the letter beneath: