Florida has taken legal action against the Biden administration over its alleged refusal to verify immigration records, which the state claims are vital for ensuring the integrity of its voter rolls.
The lawsuit, first reported by Fox News, argues that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is required by law to respond to state and local governments seeking to verify the immigration status of individuals within their jurisdictions. Florida insists this is necessary to prevent noncitizens from illegally registering to vote.
The legal complaint points out that the DHS’s refusal to comply with these obligations hinders Florida’s ability to maintain election integrity. According to the state, it has a responsibility to keep voter registration records up to date and accurate, especially given the current immigration crisis at the southern border, which has brought millions of noncitizens into the country.
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In the lawsuit, Florida requests a court order to declare DHS’s refusal as unlawful and seeks a mandate that the federal agency must provide the requested immigration information.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody emphasized, “Voting is a right granted to American citizens — not illegal immigrants or other noncitizens.” Moody also criticized the Biden-Harris administration for allowing millions of illegal immigrants into the country, stressing the importance of keeping noncitizens off voter rolls.
She further stated, “I am taking legal action against the Department of Homeland Security and Secretary Mayorkas to ensure Florida is able to maintain the integrity of our state’s voter rolls.”
Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd also weighed in, stating that the Florida Constitution is clear in limiting voting rights to citizens only.
The state of Florida suing … by Red Voice News
Byrd called on the federal government to eliminate the obstacles preventing states from obtaining critical information to ensure that only citizens are voting. “We are going to prevail in our effort to uphold the law and the Constitution’s guarantee of one citizen, one vote,” Byrd asserted.
This lawsuit follows similar actions from other GOP-led states, such as Ohio, which also seeks access to DHS databases for the same purpose. The lawsuit adds to the ongoing conflict between Republican-led states and the Biden administration over voter integrity concerns.
The Department of Justice has previously sued states like Alabama and Virginia for their attempts to remove noncitizens from voter rolls, citing the Quiet Period Provision, which restricts voter list maintenance 90 days before an election. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin responded to the lawsuit, calling it “politically motivated.”
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