(ProsperNews.net) – Democrats, led by New York City Mayor Eric Adams, are campaigning to allow new immigrants to vote. Mr. Adams is among Democrat leaders from several cities and states, including Boston and Connecticut, pushing for migrants to vote, even though many entered the United States illegally.
The right to vote comes with work authorization, according to New York law, and Adams has pressured the White House to permit migrants to work, saying this makes them self-sufficient. In September, President Biden extended temporary protected status for migrants from Venezuela, which make up about 40% of those who arrived in the Big Apple this year.
The New York Immigration Commission celebrated the move and said around 60,000 Venezuelans in the city can now “quickly acquire work authorizations and immediately start contributing to our local economy and communities.”
The right of illegal immigrants to vote in the United States has long been a contentious issue. Federal law prevents migrants from voting in national elections, but there may be some evidence that it occurs regardless. For example, the conservative Just Facts organization claims that an estimated 234,570 non-citizens voted for Joe Biden in the 2020 Presidential election.
James D. Agresti from Just Facts said that number is likely an underestimate because it is compared to census figures, which usually don’t account for illegal migrants.
While migrant voting is unlawful at a federal level, some states permit it locally. As of 2023, California, Maryland, and Vermont allow non-citizens to cast a ballot, while Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, North Dakota, and Ohio have passed laws to prevent it.
The Pew Research Center estimates that there are around 25 million non-citizens living in the United States, including 11 million who entered illegally. Opponents say allowing non-citizens to vote devalues citizenship and encourages law-breaking, while proponents argue that barring migrants from voting is discriminatory and prevents them from having a say in the society they live in.
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