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#Trump seeks to mandate proof of #citizenship in #VoterRegistration

"Only about half of Americans have a U.S. passport, and only five states currently offer enhanced driver's licenses that show proof of citizenship."

By Jude Joffe-Block, March 26, 20251:09 AM ET

Excerpt: "#VotingRights advocates, however, warn outdated databases can erroneously list naturalized citizens as noncitizens. Past efforts by states to purge noncitizens from voter rolls have sometimes swept up eligible U.S. citizens.

"The executive order also seeks to stop states from counting mail or absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day but received after by withholding funding from states that allow such ballots to be counted.

"Proof of citizenship requirement

"Ahead of the 2024 election, Trump and his allies made baseless claims about the threat of noncitizens voting in large numbers.

"The current federal voter registration form asks registrants to swear, under penalty of perjury, that they are U.S. citizens and eligible to vote, and to provide a driver's license number, state ID number or Social Security number. Those who attempt to vote illegally can face prison time, fines or deportation. Past audits and studies have shown such cases are incredibly rare.

"Yet Republicans have made requiring documentary proof of citizenship a policy priority. The executive order borrows heavily from the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, known as the #SAVEAct, a Republican-backed bill. House Republicans have signaled that they intend to pass it in their chamber but it faces difficult odds in the Senate.

"The executive order shows #Trump isn't waiting for Congress. But legal experts say that he does not have the authority through #ExecutiveOrder to make such changes, and the order conflicts with existing #FederalVotingLaw.

"'It's illegal at many different levels,' said Sean Morales-Doyle, the voting rights director at the #BrennanCenter for Justice, a nonprofit that studies and advocates for voting rights. The order directs the #ElectionAssistanceCommission, a small, independent bipartisan agency, to make various changes, including to the federal #VoterRegistration form, but Morales-Doyle said the president can't tell that commission what to do.

"Requiring documentary proof of #citizenship would radically upend voter registration if such a mandate were to take effect.

"The order is explicit that applies to anyone who uses the federal voter registration form. What is less clear is if the order would also pressure states to require showing proof of citizenship with state registration forms, such as by #WithholdingFunds.

"The order only lists a limited number of ways to prove U.S. citizenship. The options given are a U.S. passport, an ID that complies with the #RealIDAct that shows citizenship or a military ID that shows citizenship. A fourth option is a valid government photo ID that 'indicates that the applicant is a United States citizen or if such identification is otherwise accompanied by proof of United States citizenship,' but does not say if a birth certificate would count."

Read more:
npr.org/2025/03/26/g-s1-55927/
#TrumpIsABully #USPol #TrumpIsPutinsPuppet #Fascism #Authoritarianism #DictatorInChief
Are #LiteracyTests Next? #VoterDisenfranchisement #CharacteristicsOfFascism

#AmnestyInternationalUSA Urges No Vote on #HR9495

November 12, 2024

"#Amnesty International USA warns that language in H.R. 9495 poses an alarming threat to the work of U.S. civil society organizations who document #HumanRights abuses around the world and urges members of Congress to vote against it.

"If enacted, this legislation would grant the Secretary of the Treasury broad discretionary powers to terminate the tax-exempt status of nonprofit organizations based solely on a subjective declaration that they are 'terrorist supporting organizations.'

"'In any other context, this legislation would be seen for what it is, a play from the #authoritarian leader’s playbook,' said Paul O’Brien, Executive Director at Amnesty International USA.

"The broad and vague authority to terminate non-profit status in the name of 'counterterrorism' is a practice that many governments have used to target civil society organizations. There are no safeguards to prevent H.R. 9495’s broad authority from being misused to harass or intimidate organizations for exercising their rights.

"The bill includes no due process for organizations deemed to be supporting 'terrorist' groups. The Secretary of the Treasury can use 'classified information' to make these designations without permitting nonprofits to review or challenge such evidence in federal courts. The loss of tax-exempt status similarly has no due process guarantees and would inflict economic harm and legally burden nonprofit organizations.

"Amnesty International USA joins more than 100 #CivilSociety groups, including #ACLU, #BrennanCenter, #PublicCitizen, #AFT, #NEA, #LCV, #CAP, #Indivisible, #NAACP, #ReproductiveFreedomForAll, and #NationalWomensLawCenter to oppose this legislation.

"'This bill, if it becomes the law, would not require officials to explain the reason for designating a group, nor does it require any evidence,' continued O’Brien. 'Members of Congress must recognize the danger posed and vote down this bill that could shrink civic space and silence civil society organizations.'"

amnestyusa.org/press-releases/