Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) is set to introduce new legislation Friday, titled the National Motor Voter Clarification Act, that would allow states to remove illegal immigrants from their voter rolls at any time of the year. The proposed law seeks to amend current federal regulations, which prohibit such removals within 90 days of an election.
The bill comes in response to a recent lawsuit filed by the Biden administration, accusing Virginia of violating federal law by purging potential noncitizens from its voter rolls just weeks before the November election. Similar legal action has been taken against Alabama for attempting to remove noncitizens from its rolls as well.
“I agree with the governor that removing non-Americans from voter rolls is ‘common sense and constitutional,’” Gaetz said, referring to Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s order to purge noncitizens. Gaetz added that his bill would ensure governors can remove illegal immigrants from voter rolls “without fear of being targeted by the Biden-Harris Justice Department.”
Gaetz’s bill follows a broader Republican push for election integrity in the 2024 cycle, with concerns about noncitizens voting driving legislative efforts like the SAVE Act, which seeks additional voter verification measures. Although federal law already requires individuals to swear under penalty of perjury that they are U.S. citizens when registering to vote, Gaetz and other Republicans argue that more stringent enforcement is needed to prevent illegal voting.
