A federal court has determined that Iowa may continue disputing the legitimacy of numerous ballots connected to possible noncitizens, despite concerns raised by critics who argue that this initiative jeopardizes the voting rights of individuals who have recently become American citizens.
U.S. District Judge Stephen Locher, appointed by President Joe Biden, ruled in favor of the state in response to a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union in Des Moines. The case was filed on behalf of the League of Latin American Citizens of Iowa and four individuals who have recently completed the naturalization process. These four individuals were included on a state list designed for questioning the validity of their registrations by local election officials.
According to the state’s attorney general and secretary of state, assessing and potentially removing approximately 2,000 names from the voter rolls is vital in order to deter illegal voting by noncitizens. Republican officials nationwide have highlighted the issue of voting by noncitizen immigrants, particularly in the lead-up to elections, although such instances are infrequent. This focus has intensified in light of former President Donald Trump’s unfounded claims that fraud is being perpetrated to hinder his possible return to the presidency.
In his decision on Sunday, Judge Locher referenced a recent ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court that permitted Virginia to continue with a comparable expungement of its voter registration list, even though it inadvertently affected some U.S. citizens. He also mentioned the Supreme Court’s choice not to evaluate a state Supreme Court decision from Pennsylvania regarding electoral laws tied to provisional ballots. Locher emphasized that these Supreme Court directives suggest that lower courts should be extremely careful before granting last-minute emergency relief.
Furthermore, he clarified that the state’s process does not remove individuals from the voter rolls; rather, it requires certain voters to utilize provisional ballots when they cast their votes.