Virginia Seeks Supreme Court Aid After Appeals Court Blocks Purge of 1,600 Suspected Noncitizens

Oct 28, 2024, 01:30 PM

A federal judge in Virginia has halted the state's effort to remove over 1,600 suspected noncitizens from its voter rolls ahead of the November 5 presidential election. The judge ruled that the purge was unlawful and ordered Virginia to restore the registrations of those removed by Wednesday. Virginia officials, including Governor Glenn Youngkin and Attorney General Jason Miyares, have vowed to appeal the ruling, arguing that only American citizens should be allowed to vote. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals denied the state's request for a stay, and the Supreme Court has requested a response by 3 p.m. on Tuesday. Virginia is now appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court for an emergency intervention. The legal battle centers on whether the state can purge its voter rolls of individuals it believes to be noncitizens, with the Biden-Harris administration opposing Virginia's efforts. The Department of Justice is fighting to keep the suspected noncitizens on the voter rolls, asserting that the purge violates federal law.