Rep. Chip Roy Sounds Alarm: Non-Citizens Voting and the Motor Voter Act’s Loophole and is once again ruffling feathers and raising eyebrows by pointing out what many have been whispering about in conservative circles for years: non-citizens, both legal and illegal, are participating in our voting process. Yes, you read that right. According to Roy, the very foundation of our democracy is under siege, thanks to gaping holes in the system.
“We’ve got repeated evidence of those who are here illegally — or, or whether they’re here legally — but non-citizens voting,” Roy asserted, citing the well-worn Motor Voter Act as a key culprit. For those unfamiliar, this 1990s relic ostensibly intended to make voter registration easier but has instead become a loophole-ridden mess that fails to adequately verify citizenship.
Roy isn’t just tossing out baseless accusations. He points to studies and evidence suggesting that non-citizen voting may have even tipped the scales in elections, such as Al Franken’s infamous win in Minnesota. It’s a sobering thought, isn’t it? The idea that election outcomes could be swayed by those who aren’t even supposed to vote in the first place.
Roy also called out various local jurisdictions like Oakland, San Francisco, Washington, DC, and New York City for registering non-citizens to vote in state and local elections, without any measures to prevent them from casting ballots in federal elections. It’s like letting the fox guard the henhouse.
“The state of Arizona has to run two systems — one for their state local elections and one for their federal elections,” Roy said. Arizona’s bifurcated system underscores the insanity of the current situation. They are forced to go the extra mile to ensure citizenship for their state and local elections, but can’t do the same for federal ones. How does that make any sense?
The Motor Voter Act, according to Roy, “limits the state’s ability to determine and collect the information necessary for determining and checking citizenship.” Essentially, it’s a free-for-all where anyone can just tick a box and self-identify as a citizen. There’s no verification, no further checks, and balances — just take their word for it.
Roy’s proposed remedy is the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which would mandate proof of citizenship for all prospective voters during registration. This isn’t about being anti-immigrant or xenophobic; it’s about ensuring that only those eligible to vote can actually do so. Is that really too much to ask?
Roy is optimistic about the bill’s potential for bipartisan support, noting, “Massive bipartisan support that only citizens should vote.” However, recent events show the partisan divide is alive and well. A vote in Washington to end the registration of non-citizens for elections saw support from 52 Democrats, while 143 opposed it. That should give you a rough idea of where the battle lines are drawn.
In a broader context, Roy also expressed concern over the impact of mass immigration on voter registration and election outcomes. “And this is why this issue matters so much, on the top of Biden dumping in five million people into our country, plus two million got-aways, you know, tens of thousands every day, additionally, coming in,” he added. The influx of millions of people, coupled with an already broken system, is a recipe for disaster.
So, what’s the takeaway here? Our election system is in desperate need of reform. We need robust measures to ensure only citizens can vote, and we need them now. The SAVE Act is a step in the right direction, but it’s going to take political will and common sense to see it through. Let’s hope our lawmakers can rise to the occasion and protect the integrity of our elections. Stay tuned, because this battle is far from over.
