After a week of protests in Los Angeles against recent immigration enforcement actions, President Trump reaffirmed his administration’s stance on detaining and deporting undocumented immigrants. He claimed that these individuals are being used to manipulate elections in Democratic cities like Los Angeles.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that cities such as Los Angeles are at the heart of the Democratic power structure, alleging that they employ undocumented immigrants to increase their voter base and cheat in elections. However, Los Angeles County election officials quickly dismissed these claims as false.
The county’s Registrar-Recorder’s office stated that Trump’s assertions are unfounded and only serve to spread misinformation about the electoral process. Mike Sanchez, a spokesperson for the office, emphasized that there are safeguards to ensure that only eligible voters can cast ballots and that all votes are counted accurately.
To register to vote in California, individuals must meet five criteria: they must be U.S. citizens, residents of California, at least 18 years old by Election Day, not currently serving a prison term for a felony, and not deemed mentally incompetent to vote by a court. When registering, individuals must affirm, under penalty of perjury, that they meet these requirements.
Voting as a noncitizen is a serious offense in California, punishable by jail time or deportation. While some cities in the U.S. allow noncitizens to vote in local elections, such as school board or city council races, California does not permit this for federal elections. Only San Francisco allows noncitizens to vote, and that is limited to school board elections.
Los Angeles County verifies voter registration through the State Voter Registration database, cross-checking personal information with records from the Department of Motor Vehicles and Social Security. Voters do not need to show ID unless their registration has not been verified.
The claims about undocumented immigrants voting are not new. They stem from a long-standing conspiracy theory suggesting that immigrants are being used to undermine American citizens. This narrative gained traction during Trump’s first presidential campaign in 2016, when he claimed that millions of undocumented immigrants had cast votes against him.
Research consistently shows that voter fraud is extremely rare in the U.S. Most instances of reported fraud are due to clerical or human errors. Richard Hasen, a voting rights expert, noted that individuals who lose elections are often more inclined to believe that cheating has occurred.
The recent focus on immigration and voting fraud appears to be a strategy for the upcoming 2024 election, as Trump and other Republicans shift their narrative to appeal to their base. This change comes after a period when claims about absentee ballot fraud were seen as detrimental to their cause.
While the number of undocumented immigrants in Los Angeles has increased, experts suggest that the rate of growth is slowing. Many of these individuals have been in the country for over a decade and are integrated into their communities.
As the debate around immigration and voting continues, officials in Los Angeles remain committed to ensuring fair elections and protecting the rights of all residents, regardless of their immigration status.