A recent study by the US research institute Just Facts has revealed that between 10% and 27% of adult immigrants living in the United States, whether legally or illegally, are currently registered at the country’s polling stations to vote in federal elections irregularly. The study used updated data and improved methodology compared to an article published in 2014 by the magazine Electoral Studies.
The study analyzed US Census data on immigrants released in 2022, which recorded the existence of 19.7 million immigrants over the age of 18 living in the country, a number that may have increased due to the current migration crisis at the southern border. Based on this data, the institute estimates that between 2 million and 5 million of these immigrants are illegally registered at voting stations in American states.
The study noted that approximately half of immigrants who register illegally tend to appear at electoral colleges to try to vote in presidential elections. If nothing is done, between 1 million and 2.7 million of these immigrants could end up casting their vote irregularly during the upcoming elections.
Just Facts stated that this situation is alarming and could directly influence the outcome of the upcoming elections. Despite the requirement that voters be American citizens to vote in federal elections, the study found that there are broad openings for non-citizens to vote in the USA, including lax verification processes in some states.
The potential impact of these irregular votes is amplified by polls indicating that the majority of immigrants tend to support Democratic Party candidates, and many immigrants are located in states where Democrats have more support. In response, Republicans in Congress have proposed a bill to require states to request effective proof of citizenship from individuals who register to vote. However, media outlets and some democrats have opposed such actions, denying the significance of the problem.
