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Texas Allows Noncitizen IDs for Voting, Lawmakers Raise Alarm Over 2.8 Million Holders

Oct 11, 2024, 06:24 PM

Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson's office has issued new guidance directing poll workers to accept temporary or limited-term driver's licenses and identification cards, which may include IDs held by noncitizens, as valid voter identification. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, approximately 2.8 million noncitizens in Texas hold driver's licenses, commercial driver's licenses, or identification cards. The decision has sparked controversy and raised concerns over election integrity ahead of the November 5th elections. Senator Ted Cruz, along with other lawmakers, has raised alarms over the Department of Justice's inaction on non-citizens registered to vote. Representative Beth Van Duyne has joined efforts supporting Texas's request to obtain citizenship data from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to verify voter rolls. Despite no changes in the law or litigation to prompt the alteration, Secretary Nelson has sought a non-binding opinion from Attorney General Ken Paxton on whether limited-term driver's licenses that "generate questions of voter eligibility" are valid forms of voter ID. Sources indicate that Nelson is attempting to clarify the guidance issued, following concerns that the acceptance of noncitizen IDs could lead to questions about voter eligibility.