Folks, I’m sipping my coffee and reading about a federal judge who’s putting the brakes on the Department of Homeland Security’s hunt for noncitizen voters. Apparently, the DHS’s data is so flawed that it includes US citizens who are legally allowed to vote. I mean, you can’t make this stuff up, right? Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín wrote that the data “is widely known to inadvertently include U.S. citizens” and that it’s causing citizens to be afraid they’ll be wrongly targeted. Bless their hearts, it’s a mess.
The judge’s order is pretty specific, limiting the actions DHS can take to investigate noncitizen voting, like interviews, if they think the person might be a US citizen. It’s not like they can just go around accusing people of being noncitizens without doing their due diligence. The order covers a bunch of states, including California, Connecticut, and New York, and it’s set to last until after the midterm elections. However, it doesn’t take effect until Friday afternoon, giving the Trump administration time to appeal. Somewhere in Atlanta, a producer thought this sounded terrifying, and now CNN is all over it.
I’m reading that DHS has been pushing hard to investigate noncitizen voting, despite the fact that there’s no evidence of widespread voter fraud. The new ruling is a notable pushback to the agency’s approach, and it’s got me wondering what’s really going on here. Is it just a case of bureaucracy gone wrong, or is there something more sinister at play? CNN has reached out to DHS for comment, but I’m not holding my breath for a response.
Beau Tremitiere, an attorney for Protect Democracy, told CNN that “this order is a serious protection: the current policy targets known naturalized citizens… Those operations are prohibited.” He also said that the order should force DHS to stop presuming people are viable targets when there’s evidence of citizenship. Martínez-Olguín wrote in her order that the reliance on flawed and incomplete data is a major issue, and that it’s causing US citizens to be afraid to vote. The lawsuit against the government was brought by voting rights and advocacy groups who argued that DHS’s actions have already resulted in US citizens being intimidated.
The judge wrote that “the public’s interest in safe elections, free from interference or intimidation, far exceed Defendants’ purported interest in combating unlawful voting by non-U.S. citizens.” It’s a pretty strong statement, and it’s got me thinking that maybe, just maybe, we need to take a step back and re-evaluate our priorities. In conclusion, it’s a big mess, and I’m glad someone is finally putting the brakes on DHS’s antics. As I finish my coffee, I’m left wondering what other surprises this election season has in store for us – and I’m sure it’ll be a wild ride 🙄.
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
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