US District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ruled that it is unconstitutional to require voters to show proof of citizenship. Donald Trump demanded that only citizens vote in US elections and signed an executive order in March to ensure a federal ID is required to vote. Democrats sued Trump for infringing on voters’ rights. Kollar-Kotelly ruled that states may decide how to monitor the integrity of elections. “Because our Constitution assigns responsibility for election regulation to the States and to Congress, this Court holds that the President lacks the authority to direct such changes,” Kollar-Kotelly wrote in her opinion.
It remains unclear how this ruling is a victory for “voters’ rights.” Proof of citizenship must be required for countless activities, none of which are as important as voting. The federal government cannot step in and supersede state law. The issue with bringing this to the state level is that we have two polar opposite mindsets in charge. One side is paying for expensive audits to expel noncitizens from voter rolls. The other side is not concerned that noncitizens have been registered to vote in US elections. That same side believed that Americans needed to show proof of vaccination to enter public spaces a few years ago, but proving citizenship at the polls is far too intrusive.
Yet another example of the left and right divide. Lower courts have challenged every single ruling by Donald Trump. One must wonder why securing elections is seen as a threat to democracy. Supporters claim that the Constitution already forbids noncitizens from voting, which is true, but many have wound up on voter registration lists. Congress has ignored this issue for one simple reason—the Democrats would easily secure the vote if noncitizens found a way to vote.