In Alabama, Secretary of State Wes Allen announced that thousands of registered voters previously identified as noncitizens by the federal government will have their status changed to inactive. A total of 3,251 individuals will receive letters informing them of the update, as their information was cross-referenced with noncitizen identification numbers provided by the Department of Homeland Security. This decision has been met with opposition from voter rights advocates.

Allen emphasized that this review is part of ongoing efforts to ensure all individuals on the voter file are eligible voters. He mentioned that the list of individuals will be passed on to the Attorney General’s Office for potential investigation and prosecution.

Fears surrounding illegal voting by noncitizens have gained traction in Republican rhetoric, despite the lack of substantial evidence of widespread voter fraud. Democrats and voting rights activists have pushed back against proposed laws requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote, expressing concerns about potential disenfranchisement.

Those affected will need to complete a form at their local county registrar’s office and provide proof of citizenship to vote in the upcoming November elections. The list provided by the Department of Homeland Security includes individuals who may have become naturalized citizens, making them eligible to vote. Allen assures that naturalized citizens will have the opportunity to update their information.

This action by Alabama mirrors similar steps taken in neighboring states. In Tennessee, over 14,000 people were asked to provide citizenship proof to remain on active-voter rolls but faced backlash and accusations of voter intimidation from rights advocates, leading to a retraction of the request.

Critics, including Jonathan Diaz from the Campaign Legal Center, believe Allen’s announcement could harm public trust in election integrity and view it as an excessive response to a relatively uncommon issue. Diaz likened the situation to using drastic measures for a minor problem, potentially resulting in eligible voters being flagged for removal from the rolls.