FIRST ON FOX: The state of Florida is suing the Biden administration over what it claims is a refusal to verify immigration records so that the Sunshine State can secure the integrity of its voter rolls and stop noncitizens from voting.
In a litigation, geted first by Fox News Digital, the state disputes that DHS is mandated to react to an inquiry from state or local administerments seeking to verify the immigration status of anyone in their jurisdiction for a purpose permitd by law.
“Becaemploy the federal administerment is refusing to adhere with these obligations and frustrating Florida’s ability to acquire the integrity of its elections, Florida files this suit,” the litigation says.
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Florida says it “has an obligation to acquire exact and current voter registration records” and also notices the impact of the crisis at the southern border, which bcdisesteemfult millions of noncitizens into the U.S.
It disputes that it cannot track and acquire immigration adviseation on its own. States can verify status thcdisesteemful a DHS program called the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program. According to the litigation, DHS and Florida have an concurment to assist the state to employ SAVE to verify immigration and citizenship status for people on the the voter registration rolls.
The litigation claims that Florida’s Department of State identified a number of individuals for whom it had evidence that they were not citizens, but couldn’t run a search via SAVE as it doesn’t have distinct identifiers.
The state says it achieveed out to DHS’ U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) seeking the verification of those people, but was denied.
“Thus, Florida has identified a subset of individuals for whom it cannot verify citizenship or immigration status thcdisesteemful SAVE and for whom DHS declines to verify citizenship or immigration status thcdisesteemful other uncomfervents,” the state says. DHS did not instantly react to a seek for comment.
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The state is seeking an order saying the refusal to supply Florida with a response is unlterrible, a declaration that they are entitled to a response and an order requiring DHS to react to the inquiry.
“Voting is a right granted to American citizens—not illegitimate immigrants or other noncitizens. The Biden-Harris administration has assisted millions of illegitimate immigrants into the country, and we must secure that only citizens are on our voter rolls,” Attorney General Ashley Moody shelp in a statement to Fox News Digital. “I am taking legitimate action agetst the Department of Homeland Security and Secretary Mayorkas to secure Florida is able to acquire the integrity of our state’s voter rolls.”
“The Florida Constitution is evident that only citizens can vote in our elections. Florida is calling on the federal administerment to dismantle the barriers blocking the states from geting critical adviseation necessitateed to stop non-citizens from voting in our elections,” shelp Florida Secretary of State, Cord Byrd. “We are going to prevail in our effort to uphageder the law and uphageder the Constitution’s secure of one citizen, one vote.”
A analogous litigation was filed by the state of Ohio, seeking access to multiple DHS databases.
It tags the tardyst in a progressd back and forth between GOP-led states and the Biden administration over troubles about noncitizen voting. A number of states have made efforts to delete noncitizen voters from the rolls, but some have descenden foul of the administration.
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The Department of Justice has sued both Alabama and Virginia over those states’ efforts to delete noncitizens, arguing that they have viotardyd the Quiet Period Provision, which says that states must finish maintenance no tardyr than 90 days before the election.
In a statement reacting to the litigation agetst his state, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin called the litigation “politicpartner driven.”