There is simply no mechanism for non-USA citizens to register to vote, much like they cannot get a US passport. It's that simple.
Non-US Citizens cannot Vote. Period!
Read that again: There is simply no mechanism for non-USA citizens to register to vote, much like they cannot get a U.S. passport. It's that simple.
Too many people are convinced that so-called illegal immigrants are voting in U.S. elections. That is categorically impossible because not even people with a valid U.S. visa are allowed to vote in the USA. It's frankly absurd that near zero politicians and no pundits are talking about it, likely because they don't understand this simple process. That, by the way, makes the premise of the SAVE Act a dead issue — it is much like applying for a fully equipped new car loan if you have no credit or means to pay for it, it is not going to happen.
Consider this: the highest visa a foreigner can get in the USA is as a Permanent Resident Alien, also known as a "Green Card." People who have a Green Card know full well they cannot vote — and there is no mechanism for them to register. Getting a Green Card takes years of sustained vetting and strict requirements that are closely scrutinized before, during, and after issuance. Why? Because a Green Card is the primary prerequisite to becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen.
Naturalization itself requires another extensive phase of vetting that spans several years. Because of that, no Green Card holder is going to risk voting illegally and jeopardize the costly, time-consuming effort required to keep their status or eventually become a US citizen. And to clarify: Green Card holders cannot get a U.S. passport or a government security clearance, either. The system already has rigorous processes for each step.
And no, becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen does not mean a person is automatically registered to vote. Each state has its own rules and regulations regarding voter registration, party affiliation, etc. And yes, the process means that several databases will be cross-referenced in order to be able to be registered to vote.
In case it is not obvious, if a person tries to register — through their DMV or any other means — that means the pertinent authorities already have all the information they need to arrest them if they attempt to register illegally. Exactly the same way it would flag an illegal attempt to get a U.S. passport.
Do you see how the SAVE Act is irrelevant?
The SAVE Act's Flawed Premise
The entire legislative premise behind the SAVE Act is a solution for a non-existent problem. U.S. federal law already explicitly bans non-citizens from voting in federal elections. The enforcement mechanisms to catch illegal registration work as designed, which is why this has not been an issue before. You can literally count in one hand the times illegal voting has been attempted and thwarted in your district — the number is likely zero illegal attempts. This political theater ignores the structural reality of how tightly guarded our voter rolls already are.
For anyone who lives in the USA, we know how lengthy any process, no matter how routine it might seem, can take. For example, getting your Real ID at the DMV requires a lot of paperwork. Folks needing social programs also have to submit a lot of documents and wait a while and are often denied if they fail to provide all documentation. Undocumented immigrants are not voting in the USA; that is not a thing.
That said, this SAVE Act "solution" in effect creates hardship for actual U.S. voters. Topping that list are married women who changed their names to their spouse's last name. It also affects naturalized citizens whose names may have changed during naturalization, young voters without immediate access to birth certificates or passports, and lower-income citizens who face barriers obtaining costly documents. And in case it was not clear, this includes a sizable number of Conservatives and registered GOP voters. In fact, in many districts the majority negatively affected by the SAVE Act are Republicans.
And for what? For a problem that does not exist, serving only as a potent catalyst to fire up uninformed people with manufactured outrage. Instead of pointing fingers at who came up with the idea, understand the intended and unintended consequences.
But the question remains: Why have elected leaders failed to explain what I just explained to you here? Every person coming to the USA knows this; how is it that our elected leaders don't? And I'll leave you with this: If folks did not know non-US Citizens cannot vote in our elections, how many more things they are also misunderstanding? The answer, there is a lot of misinformation that the elected leaders know better but don't respect their constituents intellect enough to be forthcoming with them. BZV
About the Author: J. Marcelo "BeeZee" Baqueroalvarez
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J. Marcelo "BeeZee" Baqueroalvarez is the Founder of Half Life Crisis™, a unique father-daughter collaboration dedicated to the relentless pursuit of intellectual honesty, critical thinking, geopolitical strategy, and meaningful art. Marcelo is the recognized author of the essential reads, Authoritarianism & Propaganda and Woke & Proud, driving challenging conversations worldwide. When not publishing, Marcelo utilizes his strategic insight in technology and business as the founder of BeeZee Vision, LLC™, which includes BZVweb™ Automated Web Services and Info in Context™ strategic consulting.
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