Fact check: Trump claims millions of immigrants are signing up to vote illegally
Former President Donald Trump's final push before the Iowa caucuses came with warnings about an outrageous Democratic scheme to register immigrants in the country illegally to vote.
Posted — UpdatedFormer President Donald Trump’s final push before the Iowa caucuses came with warnings about an outrageous Democratic scheme to register immigrants in the country illegally to vote.
"That’s why they are allowing these people to come in — people that don’t speak our language — they are signing them up to vote," Trump said Jan. 5 in Sioux Center, Iowa. "And I believe that’s why you are having millions of people pour into our country and it could very well affect the next election. That’s why they are doing it."
Trump didn’t directly identify who "they" are but in his preceding comments, he talked about people who "cheat on an election" — language he often uses to talk about Democrats.
There is nothing new about this claim in 2024. Our search for evidence turned up sporadic cases of noncitizens registering to vote or casting ballots. But we found no effort by the left to register people in the country illegally.
Voting by immigrants in U.S. illegally is rare
That was a big case, but keep in mind that more than 4.5 million people in North Carolina voted in the 2016 presidential election.
"The system worked to prevent illegal voting," said John Melvin, chief assistant district attorney in Gwinnett County, home to part of Atlanta.
Noncitizens who vote could face serious consequences
Voting by noncitizens carries high risks that include deportation or incarceration.
Interacting with the government, including trying to vote, is something the undocumented population tries to avoid, said Madrid, the Republican strategist. "They are not going to go register to vote and expose themselves."
The penalties are also high for a political party or volunteer who would try to sign up an ineligible voter.
"There are so many millions of citizens of eligible voting age, Latinos, that are not registered," Madrid said. It makes more sense to focus on them, he said.
"There is no indication that noncitizen voting in those localities has caused noncitizen voting in state or federal elections," said Wendy R. Weiser, a lawyer at the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law.
It’s a long path for immigrants to gain the right to vote
The process of becoming a citizen — and the right to vote that comes with it — can take a decade or longer.
PolitiFact ruling
Trump said Democrats are allowing illegal immigrants "to come in — people that don’t speak our language — they are signing them up to vote."
Trump provided no evidence for this scheme. Only U.S. citizens can vote in federal elections, and proven incidents of noncitizens casting ballots are rare. Even immigrants who arrive now and apply for citizenship won’t be able to vote for more than a decade because of the lengthy citizenship process.
We rate this statement Pants on Fire!
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