Is preventing noncitizens from engaging in voter registration drives discrimination that violates the 14th Amendment?
A federal judge in Florida thinks so and has ruled against a Florida law that bars aliens from engaging in voter registration drives.
Judge strikes down portion of Florida election law: “The Citizenship Requirement unconstitutionally discriminates against noncitizens on its face.” https://t.co/t8426nHXNU
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) May 19, 2024
Now I don’t know about you, but I thought that discriminating against noncitizens when it comes to voting was pretty normal, and, in fact, completely in line with federal election law.
Now let’s be clear: the judge is not saying that noncitizens can register and vote, but rather that they have a right to engage in voter registration drives, which surely wouldn’t ever, not once, register a noncitizen to vote. That would be illegal, and if there is one thing we know, people never commit crimes.
It is a hard and fast rule. If it is against the law, it never happens.
TALLAHASSEE — A federal judge has permanently blocked part of a 2023 Florida elections law that placed new restrictions on voter-registration groups, including preventing non-U.S. citizens from collecting or handling registration applications.
Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker issued the injunction Wednesday against the part of the law that targeted non-citizens, saying it violated the U.S. Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause.
The Hispanic Federation, Poder Latinx and individual plaintiffs filed the challenge in May 2023 after Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican–controlled Legislature approved the restrictions.
“Here plaintiffs have suffered — and continue to suffer — irreparable injuries,” Walker wrote. “Indeed, the individual members in this case have been unconstitutionally discriminated against based on their non-citizenship status. This discrimination has prevented plaintiffs from registering new voters.”
The decision followed earlier rulings by Walker against the law. In July 2023, he issued a preliminary injunction against the part of the law related to non-citizens and another part that would make it a felony for voter-registration group workers to keep personal information of voters. The state has challenged that ruling at the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which has not issued an opinion.
This, to me, is utterly absurd. Absurd on its face. By this logic, it would cause irreparable harm to aliens to prevent them from voting. I respectfully disagree if the idea is that noncitizens have an inherent right to influence the political process.
Actually, no, not respectfully. I think this is insane. The judge is off his rocker, as is any judge who agrees. Either we have exclusive rights for citizens or we don’t.
There has been a massive press to expand the voting pool to the extent that Blue cities are now opening up voting to noncitizens in local elections. However, the federal voter registration form, which states are required by law to accept, doesn’t even ask if the registrant is a citizen.
You don’t have a country if you don’t have borders, don’t have exclusive rights for citizens, and don’t defend both.
Unfortunately, that’s the point of this movement and this ruling. The devaluation of citizenship and the replacement of our current power hierarchy–you know, the one where Americans get to decide things–with another. That other is a power dynamic that puts outsiders in charge.
We now live in a country where, in many cases, aliens–legal or not–have more rights than ordinary Americans. Governments hand out free cash, allow you to travel with no identification documents, give you free trips, free food, and free housing, and if you get arrested for any but the most heinous crimes the authorities rush you out the back door so that ICE can’t arrest you.
Stop it. This is insane.
Stop it now. The rule of law–which Democrats keep claiming to uphold–is being systematically destroyed. Lawfare against Republicans, welfare and legal impunity for illegal aliens.