MAGA Republicans are once again laying the foundation for election denial ahead of the 2024 elections, with their latest claim suggesting that undocumented immigrants are voting illegally. If their candidate loses, they are likely to attribute the defeat to fraudulent votes. This tactic echoes former President Donald Trump’s assertion in 2016 that millions of illegal votes cost him the popular vote. Despite thorough investigations revealing no evidence to support such claims, Republicans may still pursue dubious legal challenges and refuse to accept election outcomes.
Research has consistently shown that undocumented immigrant voting is virtually nonexistent. For instance, the Brennan Center for Justice found just 30 suspected illegal votes among 23.5 million in a study of 42 jurisdictions. Similarly, the libertarian Cato Institute dismissed a flawed 2020 study that aimed to demonstrate widespread illegal voting. According to CNN, decades of data indicate that regulations effectively prevent noncitizens from voting, with David Becker of the Center for Election Innovation & Research stating that such incidents are “extremely rare.”
Despite this, the myth persists, fueled by ongoing Republican rhetoric, particularly surrounding the proposed Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, which seeks to restrict voting access despite the absence of supporting evidence. In a recent document, House Speaker Mike Johnson referenced an outdated survey claiming significant noncitizen participation in past elections, yet provided no corroborating evidence for current voting practices.
As the MAGA movement advances this narrative, they may resort to specious claims and attempts to stall certification, reminiscent of the numerous unfounded lawsuits filed during the 2020 election. Moreover, unfounded accusations have already led to intimidation tactics against naturalized citizens, erroneously flagged as noncitizens.
This narrative serves multiple purposes for the MAGA Republican Party, including fostering hostility towards immigrants and providing a pretext for refusing to certify election results. To counteract this potential wave of disinformation, it is imperative for public officials and the media to debunk these baseless claims actively. The pro-democracy coalition must remain vigilant, ensuring that the 2024 elections are not marred by the same tactics that plagued previous contests. Ultimately, a decisive outcome could thwart the revival of 2020-style election turmoil.
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