Voting

April 12, 2026

According to Donald Trump, there are millions of undocumented immigrants planning on voting illegally in the next mid-term elections and beyond. He is essentially saying that these people left all manner of deprivation and fear in their home countries to come here on a perilous trip, get a job, maybe buy a home, pay taxes, and send their children to school. And, after going through all of this, they are willing to risk losing it all so that they can cast an illegal vote, possibly get caught, be deported, and maybe be incarcerated in a hell hole somewhere like Florida. Trump wants us to believe that these people are willing to lose it all to do something that even 40% of naturalized Americans are not willing to do. Sadly, way too many supposedly smart people are willing to buy into this ridiculous theory.

According to the Brennan Center for Justice, “Politicians at all levels of government have repeatedly, and falsely, claimed the 2016, 2018, and 2020 elections were marred by large numbers of people voting illegally. However, extensive research shows that fraud is very rare, voter impersonation is virtually nonexistent, and many instances of alleged fraud are, in fact, mistakes by voters or administrators. The same is true for mail ballots, which are secure and were essential to holding a safe election amid the coronavirus pandemic. Noncitizens are not permitted to vote in state and federal elections. It’s a federal crime for noncitizens to register or vote in federal elections, and it’s a crime under every state’s laws, punishable by a $10,000 fine, five years in prison, or both. So it should come as no surprise that every legitimate study ever done on the question shows that voting by noncitizens in state and federal elections is exceedingly rare.”

Now comes the SAVE Act. The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act is a proposed United States law that would require “documentary proof of United States citizenship” to register to vote in federal elections.

According to the radical, left wing, anti-American League of Women Voters, citizens, instead of simply needing a driver’s license to register to vote, will instead need an “enhanced” driver’s license or their US birth certificate. This requirement makes it extra difficult for people of color and individuals with name changes (women) to register to vote. Additionally, the SAVE Act would also impose an effective ban on both third-party voter registration and online registration. The bill’s requirement of a document, such as a passport or birth certificate, to prove American citizenship to register to vote in federal elections is unnecessary. It creates one more barrier to the voting process, as many eligible voters do not have easy access to the necessary documents. Legislation like the SAVE Act is another in a long list of tactics, like strict voter photo ID requirements, which seek to make it more difficult for voters of color and naturalized citizens to vote. More than 21 million Americans will have difficulty in accessing these extra documents, which may lead to a decrease in the size of the eligible electorate. Ultimately, Americans do not need more obstacles to vote. In fact, we need to make it easier for citizens to vote.

It’s not like Trump wants to bring back poll taxes, literacy tests, and property requirements, or wants to disenfranchise women and blacks again. If people, regardless of their status, are not voting illegally, then what is Trump’s motivation? According to the New York Times, President Trump has deemed this bill to tighten voter identification and registration rules to be essential to his agenda and the future of the Republican Party.

The Supreme Court has done immeasurable damage to voting rights in this country. The Voting Rights Act was passed in 1965 to ensure state and local governments do not pass laws or policies that deny American citizens the equal right to vote based on race. On June 25, 2013, the Supreme Court swept away a key provision of this landmark civil rights law in Shelby County v. Holder. Now, the Supreme Court appears ready to overturn a Mississippi law that allows mail-in ballots to be counted as long as they are postmarked by, and then received within five business days of, Election Day. A majority of justices seemed to agree with the challengers that the Mississippi law conflicts with federal laws that set the Tuesday after the first Monday in November as the “election day.” For the record, Donald Trump votes by mail.

The United States ranks approximately 31st among 50 developed countries in the percentage of our citizens who vote. We hover around 60%. Why are we trying to make it more difficult for people to vote? I think we know the answer.