A coalition of 16 attorneys general is urging the head of the Department of Homeland Security to protect the upcoming elections by verifying the immigration status of any registered voter upon request.
“The 16 undersigned state attorneys general write to raise grave concerns that by failing to work with States to verify voter registration information, your office has failed to discharge its duty ahead of a national election,” the attorneys general said in a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says.
The letter urges Mayorkas to execute his duty faithfully and says that the agency’s cooperation in responding to the states’ requests and providing citizenship information is essential to ensuring a fair election in November.
The letter was co-led by South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. Joining them are the attorneys general of Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming.
“Every citizen treasures the right to vote. The states are required by law to protect our election process and are trying to do that, and the Department of Homeland Security is required by law to verify voter information upon request, but DHS has either delayed or given us inadequate information,” Wilson said in a statement.