Nearly half of the state attorneys general in the U.S. have filed amicus briefs with the Supreme Court in support of an emergency stay sought by the State of Arizona to enforce a law requiring U.S. citizenship to vote in federal elections. The Republican Party of Arizona has filed an emergency application backing HB 2492, a law mandating proof of citizenship to vote in presidential elections, even for mail-in ballots.
According to the Arizona GOP, the Constitution grants states the authority to establish voter qualifications, and Arizona is at the forefront of ensuring that only citizens participate in elections. The aim is to eliminate non-citizen voting entirely, a move that the party believes is long overdue.
The amicus brief, supported by attorneys general from 24 states including Texas, Florida, and Ohio, argues that the Constitution permits states to require proof of citizenship for voting. The Dhillon Law Group, representing the brief, contends that the district court's ruling is not in line with the Constitution and that states have the right to determine how they appoint presidential electors.
An emergency stay application filed by the Republican National Committee highlights concerns about voter integrity, particularly in light of the presence of what they refer to as 'illegal aliens' in the country. The application suggests that the issue of non-citizen voting may have worsened over time, with an estimated 11 million illegal aliens in the U.S. in 2019, potentially posing a risk for voter fraud.
The application raises the possibility of non-citizens, including legal aliens and visa overstays, contributing to the problem of illegal voting. The argument is that each non-citizen represents a potential avenue for voter fraud, underscoring the need for measures to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process.
