Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson are pushing for federal legislation to ban non-citizen voting, despite it already being illegal and evidence showing it is extremely rare. The effort, which could disenfranchise eligible citizens, is seen as part of a broader strategy to sow doubts about the upcoming election.
Johnson introduced a bill that would require all voters to show documentary proof of citizenship when registering. Currently, federal registration forms require an affirmation of citizenship under penalty of perjury. Johnson claimed, 'We all know – intuitively – that a lot of illegals are voting in federal elections,' but studies contradict this. A 2017 Brennan Center analysis of 42 jurisdictions found non-citizen votes accounted for just 0.0001% of ballots cast.
Past attempts to impose proof-of-citizenship requirements have led to legal setbacks and voter disenfranchisement. In Kansas, a 2011 law requiring proof of citizenship resulted in over 30,000 new voters (12%) having their registrations suspended or cancelled by 2016. A federal judge struck down the law in 2018, finding only 39 non-citizens had registered between 1999 and 2013, calling the fraud claims 'an icicle, not an iceberg.'
As of March 2024, 11 states are considering similar proof-of-citizenship legislation, and nine have enacted laws to remove non-citizens from voter rolls. Voting rights advocates argue the push is politically motivated. 'It's pure politics,' said Jonathan Diaz of the Campaign Legal Center. 'There's no actual substance to it.'
