Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Democrats filed a lawsuit Tuesday against President Donald Trump and senior officials. They are fighting a federal effort to remove noncitizens from state voter rolls. According to the 44-page complaint, the lists depend on “shoddily compiled lists of supposed noncitizens — target lists that have crumbled upon the barest inspection” This legal battle centers on who controls the integrity of your local election, the Washington Examiner reported.
The suit argues that the federal government has no power to tell states which voters to remove. “None of this is lawful,” the complaint states, noting that Congress left this task to the states. However, the administration says it is “taking decisive lawful action to protect our elections.” This clash sets up a major court fight in Washington, D.C.
The Cost of Inaction
While Democrats sue, real cases of illegal voting are already happening. Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita stated that charges were filed against Francisco Aguilar Romero, a Mexican national described as being “in the United States illegally, and holds DACA status” Romero admitted to voting in four federal elections, according to the Federalist. He registered “by completing the Voter Registration (VRG) form” at a Department of Motor Vehicles location. The form only asks for a checkmark under penalty of perjury. That simple box is not enough to stop fraud.
The Department of Homeland Security found more than 250,000 noncitizens illegally registered in just four states. California alone has a list of over 20,000 names flagged as likely noncitizens. Yet, California officials refuse to use the federal SAVE database to check citizenship status. They claim they lack the tools to verify voters, even as the federal government offers help to “ensure free, fair, and honest elections.” This refusal leaves your vote diluted by ineligible people.
A Fight for Control
The lawsuit asks a federal judge to block Trump from threatening states that refuse to act. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, was assigned to the case. The administration argues that states must cooperate to stop fraud. White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis told the Los Angeles Times they are protecting voters from coercion. But California officials say the federal lists are unverified and decline to remove ballots.
Prosecutors in California have already charged 28 people as part of “Operation Protect the Vote.” At least 11 of these suspects were arrested for illegally registering or voting. These are not theoretical risks. They are real people breaking the law while your community waits for a solution. The Department of Justice sued California on Oct. 15 to stop counting mail ballots from these flagged individuals. The state has ignored the request.
The system relies on trust, but trust cannot replace proof. If a person is not a citizen, they have no right to decide who leads our country. The current law allows anyone to check a box and claim citizenship. That is a flaw that needs fixing. Congress passed the SAVE Act to require proof of citizenship, but it stalled in the Senate. Some Republicans joined with Democrats to block it. This political gridlock keeps the door open for fraud.
You deserve to know that every vote in your precinct counts. The Democrats’ lawsuit tries to stop the cleanup of voter rolls. They argue the lists are bad, but the administration says they are necessary.
