With New York City planning to have around 800,000 non-citizens vote in its local elections, Florida’s U.S. senators are championing a proposal to prohibit federal funding to states and localities that allow foreigners to vote.”
Last week, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., introduced the “Protecting Our Democracy by Preventing Foreign Citizens from Voting Act” with the support of five Republicans in the Senate including U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla. U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-SC, will introduce the bill in the U.S. House.
“It’s ridiculous that states are allowing foreign citizens to vote,” Rubio said. “However, if states and localities do let those who are not U.S. citizens to vote in elections, they shouldn’t get U.S. citizen taxpayer money.”
“Voting in this country is a right that should solely be limited to American citizens. Allowing non-citizens or illegal immigrants to vote, even if only in state or local elections, gives foreign nationals influence on some of the most important decisions impacting our families, our rights, and our representation in government,” Duncan said. “Non-citizen voting has the potential to exacerbate the border crisis and cause a greater erosion of confidence in our electoral process. Voting is the hallmark of our democracy, and non-citizen voting completely undermines election integrity. Non-citizen voting is not some sort of farfetched idea—it is currently allowed in New York, San Francisco, and even in the suburbs of our nation’s capital. I will not stand for this sort of globalist extremism that attempts to undermine what it means to be an American citizen. I am honored to work with Senator Marco Rubio on this very important effort to safeguard the security of our elections.”
“Each and every elected official in the United States should be chosen by the American citizens they represent,” Scott said. “It’s absolutely insane that any state or locality would give our precious right to vote to foreign citizens and truly sad that legislation like this is even needed, but I won’t stand by and let radical politicians open America’s voting booths to foreign interference. I hope every member of the Senate stands with us in supporting this commonsense bill.”
The bill would “prohibit federal funds from going to any state or local government that allows foreign citizens to vote in any federal, state, or local election; require, upon application, approval, and receipt of any federal funds, the state or local government must certify they do not allow foreign citizens to vote; and make the measure effective on or after the date of enactment.”
Rubio’s bill was sent to the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
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