Alabama Secretary of State Warns Illegal Immigrants Given Voter Registration Forms Under Biden's Order

Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen alleges that welfare agencies in the state are distributing voter registration forms to illegal immigrants and non-citizens under an executive order signed by President Biden.

Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen has raised concerns about federal policies implemented under President Biden's administration, claiming they offer illegal immigrants and non-citizens a "mechanism" to register to vote. Allen specifically highlights Executive Order 14019, issued in 2021, which he argues broadly interprets the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) of 1993.

According to Allen, the executive order empowers the federal government to mobilize its apparatus to become voter registration agencies. He alleges that state agencies receiving federal funding, such as Medicaid and other welfare offices, are obligated to provide voter registration forms to any individual who interacts with their services under the NVRA. This includes illegal immigrants and non-citizens, and the 2021 executive order lacks provisions to ensure these forms are only distributed to U.S. citizens.

Alabama Secretary of State Warns Illegal Immigrants Given Voter Registration Forms Under Biden's Order

Allen emphasizes that these individuals receive voter registration information regardless of their ultimate approval for public benefits, and he believes it is crucial for Congress to reform the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. He advocates for returning voter registration authority to the states and removing it from federal control.

"We cannot back away from the responsibility to advocate for reforms to the National Voter Registration Act of 1993," Allen asserts. "We must restore sensible reforms and strengthen our protections to verify citizenship. It is imperative that we do this moving forward."

Alabama Secretary of State Warns Illegal Immigrants Given Voter Registration Forms Under Biden's Order

The White House maintains that Executive Order 14019 is intended to safeguard the voting rights of all Americans eligible to participate in elections, including Black voters and voters of color. The Biden administration believes it is the federal government's responsibility to expand access to voter registration and combat misinformation.

Allen has testified before the Senate Rules and Administration Committee about the limited resources available to state election officials for verifying the citizenship of voters. He shared that his office requested a list of non-citizens from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to cross-check Alabama's voter file, but this request was denied. Instead, they were directed to use the Systematic Alien Verification Entitlements (SAVE) program, which specifically prohibits its use for verifying citizenship for voter registration purposes.

Alabama Secretary of State Warns Illegal Immigrants Given Voter Registration Forms Under Biden's Order

Allen advocates for two pieces of federal legislation: the Citizen Ballot Protection Act, which would allow states to require proof of citizenship on mail voter registration forms, and the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which would mandate states to obtain proof of citizenship in person when registering voters and remove non-citizens from existing voter rolls.

"Election integrity is a top priority for other like-minded secretaries of state, Republican secretaries of state," Allen states. "We are monitoring this situation closely and advocating for the reform of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993."

Alabama Secretary of State Warns Illegal Immigrants Given Voter Registration Forms Under Biden's Order

Despite laws prohibiting non-citizens from voting in federal elections nationwide, several local jurisdictions, including in California, Maryland, Vermont, and New York, have implemented laws allowing non-citizens to vote in city or municipal elections. Over 500 non-citizens registered to vote in the Washington, D.C., council elections earlier this month.

Allen emphasizes that no such jurisdictions exist in Alabama. Regarding necessary reforms to the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, he expresses concern about the excessive time it takes to remove individuals who have moved out of state from voter rolls. Currently, it takes four years, and Allen advocates for reducing this period to two years.