Erik (HASH) Hersman from Orlando, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Indiana’s Attorney General Todd Rokita and Secretary of State Diego Morales have formally requested that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) verify the citizenship status of over half a million individuals registered to vote in Indiana.
This request, as outlined in their October 11, 2024, letter, aims to ensure that only eligible American citizens participate in the upcoming federal, state, and local elections.
“States have a compelling interest in protecting the integrity and reliability of the electoral process,” their letter states, echoing a 2008 U.S. Supreme Court decision.
“[P]reventing voter fraud” and thereby ensuring “public confidence in the integrity of the electoral process,” are priorities that should be pursued vigorously at all levels of government in our country.”
“They are essential to the proper functioning of our constitutional Republic. One of the chief ways that we can pursue these goals is by confirming that every person registered to vote in Indiana is a U.S. citizen.”
“Therefore, we ask, pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1373, that USCIS verify the citizenship status of the individuals registered to vote in Indiana who are identified in Attachments A, B, and C of this letter,” the letter states.
Todd Rokita with his wife Kathy Rokita
The request targets 585,774 registered voters, primarily those who registered without providing driver’s license or social security numbers, or who are overseas.
“Under federal law, it is “unlawful for any alien to vote in any election held solely or in part for the purpose of electing a candidate for the office of President, Vice President, Presidential elector, Member of the Senate, [or] Member of the House of Representatives.””
“Federal voter registration laws require the form for federal elections to state “each eligibility requirement (including citizenship). Likewise, falsely claiming to be a citizen to register to vote or to vote in a federal, state, or local election constitutes a federal felony punishable by up to five years in prison.”
Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales
Indiana’s leadership emphasized that this verification process is legally backed by federal statutes mandating USCIS’s cooperation in confirming the immigration or citizenship status of individuals upon state request.
“Indiana is obligated by federal law to “perform list maintenance” on its statewide voter registration list—including removing voters “who are not eligible to vote” from the voting rolls. Indiana law also requires Indiana election officials to take steps to verify the residency and citizenship of registered voters. State election officials are further directed to remove ineligible voters from the voter rolls under various circumstances.”
“Under current law, there is no single method for verifying to a reasonable degree of certainty the citizenship of all Indiana voters. We therefore seek to utilize all tools at our disposal to verify voters’ citizenship and help ensure the integrity of our state’s voter registration system. One of those tools is provided by federal law, which requires USCIS to “respond to an inquiry by a . . . State . . . government agency, seeking to verify or ascertain the citizenship or immigration status of any individual within the jurisdiction of the agency for any purpose authorized by law.””
The clock is ticking, and with Election Day approaching, Americans deserve assurance that their ballots won’t be undermined by illegal votes.
The voter registration deadline in Indiana was October 7, with early voting commencing the following day, October 8.
“A fair and secure election process begins with accurate voter information,” said Secretary of State Morales.
“As Indiana’s Chief Election Officer, I am committed to ensuring that every registered voter in Indiana has met the legal requirements, including being a U.S. citizen. I’m proud to partner with Indiana’s Attorney General in taking proactive steps to gather missing information for those who completed their registration without a state-issued ID. This is crucial to maintaining the integrity of our elections and increasing public confidence. Only U.S. Citizens can vote in Indiana. Period,” said Diego Morales, Indiana Secretary of State.
According to AG Todd Rokita:
FACTS:
– Only citizens are eligible to vote in our elections. That shouldn’t be controversial.
– It is a felony under Indiana and federal law for an ineligible person to register to vote or cast a ballot.
– If election officials receive proof that an individual is ineligible to vote—at any time, up to and including election day— they can challenge their eligibility to vote.
– After registration closed on Oct. 7, we asked the USCIS to verify the citizenship status of all voters who registered in Indiana without providing state-issued forms of identification.
– Individuals CAN register to vote without providing proof of citizenship. Because of this, it’s possible for ineligible noncitizens to attempt to register. Asking USCIS to help confirm citizenship is therefore a commonsense step to ensure the integrity of our elections. And it is something that numerous other states have done and are doing.
– If you are a citizen and are registered to vote, we are protecting your right to do so without having your vote diluted by illegal ballots.
– The outrage from the Left over common sense measures to protect our elections tells you everything you need to know.
FACTS:
– Only citizens are eligible to vote in our elections. That shouldn’t be controversial.
– It is a felony under Indiana and federal law for an ineligible person to register to vote or cast a ballot.
– If election officials receive proof that an individual is ineligible… https://t.co/q2YYylTpZv
— AG Todd Rokita (@AGToddRokita) October 23, 2024
Read the letter below:
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