‘Needs to Be Stopped’: Lawmakers Decry D.C.’s Non-Citizen Voting Training

Earlier this month, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), as well as various congressional Republicans, supported legislation sponsored by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) that would make it a requirement to show proof of U.S. citizenship in order to vote in elections. “Due to the wide-open border that the Biden administration has refused to close,” the speaker said during a press conference, “we now have so many noncitizens in the country that if only one out of 100 voted, they would cast hundreds of thousands of votes.” He noted this was the reason why the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE Act) was introduced.

Despite these efforts to protect and promote election integrity, evidence continues to surface of groups encouraging noncitizens to vote. Recently exposed by the conservative non-profit Judicial Watch were “13-pages of records in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request from the District of Columbia, explaining to illegal aliens and other noncitizens how they can register to vote in local elections.” Additionally, JW revealed that the D.C. Board of Elections held an event on April 10 called “Non-Citizen Voting Education Virtual Training.”

The training has received immense pushback. Tom Fitton, president of JW, said, “Illegal aliens and noncitizens should not vote in any elections. That Congress allows the votes of citizens to be legally stolen by illegal aliens in our nation’s capital is inexcusable.” Roy added, “The radical progressive Democrats in the D.C. city government couldn’t be prouder of the fact that they’re going to have illegal aliens voting in their elections,” noting that it’s likely not “going to stop there.”

Experts have also pointed out that while this training is concerning, it isn’t surprising. The Daily Signal reported Tuesday that D.C. “amended its election code last year to allow noncitizens, including illegal immigrants, to vote for local D.C. offices.” The qualifications for nonresidents, presented by the District’s April training session, are as follows:

“To register to vote in the District of Columbia as a non-citizen, you must: Be at least 17 years old and 18 years old by the next General Election; Maintain residency in the District of Columbia for at least 30 days prior to the election in which you intend to vote; Not claim voting residence or the right to vote in any state, territory, or country; Not been found by a court to be legally incompetent to vote.”

It’s these increasingly common instances of pushing for noncitizens to vote that have caused members of the GOP to more adamantly push for measures such as the SAVE Act. As Roy said on a previous episode of “Washington Watch with Tony Perkins,” “[T]his isn’t a messaging bill. This is something that we believe ought to be law and ought to be law immediately.”

In comment to The Washington Stand, Matt Carpenter, director of Family Research Council’s legislative affiliate, FRC Action, said, “Local governments want noncitizens to vote because they have been giving them taxpayer funded benefits. They expect these noncitizens will vote for their preferred candidates and causes.” And according to Carpenter, “This is the oldest, and most cynical, play in the political playbook.”

He went on to explain how this “play” then “has the effect of diluting the voices of citizens who reside, work, and pay their taxes to the city.” It’s a damaging move, he urged, and its “practice needs to be stopped.” As Carpenter concluded, “it disenfranchises the American people and threatens the legitimacy of our institutions which are already at historic lows of trust among the people.”