The Hidden Truth About Noncitizen Voting: Risk, Loopholes, and the Battle for Local Ballots

Описание: This Episode discuss the contentious issue of noncitizen voting in the United States, presenting both arguments against the practice and evidence of its limited local implementation. One source provides testimony arguing that federal laws make noncitizen voting illegal and deportable offenses, warning that current voter registration laws, like the Motor Voter Law, make it easy for noncitizens to register either accidentally or intentionally, which critics argue is a recipe for fraud given the large noncitizen population. In contrast, other sources document the historical allowance of noncitizen voting in the U.S. before 1926 and highlight the current patchwork of local ordinances in states like Maryland, Vermont, and California that permit noncitizens to vote in local or school board elections, despite federal law prohibiting noncitizens from voting in federal elections. These sources also detail the legal battles and mixed judicial results surrounding these local noncitizen voting laws, such as the New York City law being permanently blocked for violating the state constitution while a San Francisco law was upheld on appeal. Finally, one source argues that noncitizen voting is not a widespread or significant occurrence, pointing out the severe penalties and record-keeping that deter noncitizens from risking deportation and imprisonment.