Republican Politicians Fuel Disinformation About Non-Citizen Voting

Prominent Republican politicians, including former President Donald Trump and lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene, are spreading disinformation about non-citizen voting in the 2024 presidential election. The claims allege that foreigners are entering the country to swing the poll in favor of President Joe Biden. However, these allegations have been extensively debunked by fact-checking organizations like AFP, explaining that non-citizens cannot vote in federal elections and that safeguards such as double verification prevent them from registering to do so.

Why this matters: The spread of disinformation about non-citizen voting can erode trust in the electoral system, leading to decreased voter turnout and undermining the legitimacy of democratic processes. Furthermore, it can also fuel xenophobic sentiment and distract from pressing issues, ultimately harming the fabric of American democracy.

Despite the debunking, Trump recently shared a video on his Truth Social platform claiming Democrats are encouraging migrants to come to the country to sway the contest in Biden's favor. Elon Musk amplified the clip, gathering hundreds of thousands of additional interactions. Greene added to the false narrative, warning that Democrats are going to steal the election with illegal votes. "This is why there has been a large number of voter registrations in key states with Social Security numbers. Migrants can get a SSN without citizenship," she stated on April 16 on X, formerly Twitter.

A study from the nonprofit Brennan Center found that votes suspected but not proven to have been cast by non-citizens in 2016 represented a minuscule 0.0001 percent of ballots. Data from the Congressional Research Service show approximately 3.2 million non-immigrant residents living in the United States in 2019, and 11.4 million unauthorized individuals and 12.9 million legal permanent residents in 2022 - none of whom are eligible to vote in federal elections.

Trump and Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson recently floated another law aimed at non-citizens casting ballots. At a mid-April news conference at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Johnson said, "We cannot wait for widespread fraud to occur... Especially when the threat of fraud is growing with every single illegal immigrant that crosses that border."

Experts say misinformation about migrants voting has taken off in part due to a spike in crossings along the US-Mexico border in recent years. Some politicians may think they can exploit anxiety and fear about illegal immigration to mobilize their supporters. However, pushing these claims could have unintended consequences for Republicans, as election fraud rumors might actually have a demobilizing effect on people who believe in them, causing them to not trust the system and not want to participate.

The spread of disinformation about non-citizens voting in the 2024 election is fueling concerns over illegal immigration at the southern border. Despite extensive debunking, prominent Republican figures continue to amplify these false claims. Experts warn that the real threat of this voter fraud disinformation is plummeting confidence in the US electoral system, which could have far-reaching consequences for American democracy.

Key Takeaways

• Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene spread debunked claims of non-citizen voting in the 2024 election.
• Fact-checkers confirm non-citizens cannot vote in federal elections and safeguards prevent registration.
• Disinformation can erode trust in the electoral system, fuel xenophobia, and harm democracy.
• Data shows votes suspected to be cast by non-citizens are a tiny fraction of total ballots.
• Experts warn that spreading disinformation can have unintended consequences, including demobilizing voters.