Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is turning up the heat on the Biden-Harris administration, demanding access to citizenship information to vet potential noncitizen voters in the state. In a letter dated September 18, Paxton has asked for federal assistance to identify and potentially remove noncitizens from Texas's voting registers.
Underlining the importance of election integrity, the Attorney General has taken a step that could not only stir national conversation but also set a precedent for how states and the federal government interact on the issue of voter registration and citizenship status. According to a release from his office, Paxton has requested a list of about 450,000 voters without a Texas-issued driver's license or identification card, whose citizenship status remains unchecked, as reported by the Texas Attorney General's press release.
This move comes amidst ongoing debates around voter registration processes and the extent of federal involvement. While noncitizens are prohibited from participating in elections, federal laws have limited states from demanding proof of citizenship upon registration. Nonetheless, these same laws dictate that the federal government is obliged to assist states in maintaining accurate voter rolls, a point which Paxton's demand hinges upon.
Paxton's request is not just a singular event but a continuation of his efforts to cross-check voter eligibility in Texas. "I demand full cooperation from the federal government to ensure that any noncitizens remaining on Texas’s voter registration rolls are identified," Paxton stated, signaling his determination to press the Biden-Harris administration for the information. The Attorney General insists that "the Biden-Harris Administration is legally obligated to assist States in doing so, and it is imperative that we use every tool available to uphold the integrity of our elections," as quoted from his office's press release.
