Legal Clash: Biden Admin Sued Over Voter Citizenship Data Access

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sues Biden administration over alleged refusal to provide citizenship data for 450,000 registered voters.

At a Glance

Paxton filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration for not assisting in voter citizenship verification.
The lawsuit concerns up to 450,000 voters whose citizenship status is unverified.
Paxton claims the administration’s inaction hinders Texas’s ability to ensure fair elections.
The lawsuit names DHS, Secretary Mayorkas, USCIS, and Director Jaddou as defendants.
Texas Secretary of State joined as a co-plaintiff in the legal action.

Paxton Takes Legal Action Against Biden Administration

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched a legal battle against the Biden administration, alleging a failure to provide crucial data needed to verify the citizenship status of up to 450,000 registered voters in Texas. The lawsuit, filed in federal court, targets the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and its Director Ur Jaddou.

The administration’s alleged reluctance to furnish information through the USCIS’s Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program is at the heart of the dispute. This program was designed to assist states in confirming voter citizenship status. Paxton argues that without this data, Texas cannot maintain accurate and fair voter rolls, potentially compromising the integrity of its elections.

Attorney General Ken Paxton Sues Biden-Harris Administration for Refusing to Verify the Citizenship Status of Potentially Ineligible Voters on Texas Voter Rolls: https://t.co/DuQ74eE2QI

— Texas Attorney General (@TXAG) October 22, 2024

Citizenship Verification Dilemma

The controversy centers on approximately 450,000 registered voters who did not use Texas-issued driver’s licenses or ID cards when registering to vote. Paxton claims that federal law mandates the provision of citizenship information for these individuals, but the Biden administration has failed to comply with requests for this data.

“The Biden-Harris Administration has refused to comply with federal law, presenting yet another obstacle for Texas to overcome in ensuring free and fair elections in our state. The law demands that they provide important information regarding the citizenship of nearly half a million potentially ineligible voters. Since the Biden-Harris Administration has chosen to ignore the law, I will see them in court.” – Ken Paxton

The Texas Secretary of State has joined Paxton’s lawsuit as a co-plaintiff, underscoring the state’s unified stance on this issue. Paxton sent a letter on October 7 demanding federal compliance by October 19, with a list of the voters whose citizenship status remains unverified. The lack of response from federal authorities prompted the legal action.

Debate Over Noncitizen Voting

The lawsuit comes amid ongoing debates about noncitizen voting, a practice that is illegal and rare according to experts. Paxton and other Republicans, including former President Trump, have raised concerns about this issue, despite the lack of evidence that it significantly affects election outcomes. Critics argue that these actions could lead to voter intimidation and suppress eligible voters.

“The Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program is the most secure and efficient way to reliably verify an individual’s citizenship or immigration status, including for verification regarding voter registration and/or voter list maintenance,” the agency’s director, Ur M. Jaddou, wrote to Nelson, adding that the agency “currently cannot offer an alternative process to any state.”

It’s worth noting that Paxton has acknowledged that most individuals whose citizenship status is being checked are likely lawful voters. The Texas Secretary of State, Jane Nelson, has also cautioned that the records in question do not definitively indicate noncitizenship. This nuance highlights the complexity of the issue and the potential for misinterpretation of voter data.

Implications for Texas Elections

As early voting begins in Texas, this lawsuit adds another layer of scrutiny to the state’s election process. Paxton emphasizes the importance of obtaining the requested information to ensure free and fair elections in Texas. However, the Department of Homeland Security has not yet commented on the lawsuit, leaving questions about how this legal challenge might impact voter verification processes in the immediate future.

The outcome of this lawsuit could have significant implications for how states verify voter eligibility and maintain their voter rolls. As the legal battle unfolds, it will likely fuel ongoing discussions about the balance between election integrity and voter access, a topic of considerable debate in Texas and across the nation.