Moderate House Dems push for crackdown on noncitizens voting in US elections

Two House Republicans and two House Democrats are pushing for a new bill that would expand U.S. citizens' access to primary elections while cracking down on noncitizen voting.

Reps. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and Jared Golden have signed onto a new bill that would crack down on noncitizens voting in U.S. elections. (Getty Images)

More recently, House GOP leaders ushered through legislation that would require proof of citizenship in the voter registration process earlier this month. That bill, backed by former President Trump, passed with support from five Democrats but has not been taken up by the Senate.

The bill’s introduction also comes as Republicans blame the Biden administration’s border and immigration policies for fueling the ongoing migrant crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border, with some suggesting it could lead to illegal immigrants voting in American elections.

"Across the world, the awesome and exclusive rights of citizens are intrinsically linked to equally awesome and exclusive responsibilities. You cannot have one without the other. So, this bill also affirms that no matter where you live in our country, the right to vote in the United States is a right reserved for citizens alone," Golden said in a statement.

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House Speaker Mike Johnson rolled out a separate election integrity package at a press conference with former President Trump, right, which passed the House earlier this month. (Getty Images)

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The legislation also expands voting access for Americans themselves by requiring states to allow voters who are not affiliated with a political party to participate in primary elections. Currently, some states only hold "closed primaries," where people registered with a certain party can participate in that party’s primary election.

Fitzpatrick said of his bill, "This commonsense reform is not political or controversial. It ensures every U.S. citizen, regardless of political affiliation, has the unequivocal right to vote while reinforcing election integrity by strictly prohibiting non-citizens from participating in taxpayer-funded elections."

Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.

Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/moderate-house-dems-push-crackdown-noncitizens-voting-us-elections