Washington, D.C.’s controversial law letting noncitizens vote in local elections just got a serious reality check from an appeals court, according to The Daily Caller.
Last Friday’s ruling breathed new life into a legal battle against a D.C. ordinance that permits green card holders and unauthorized migrants to cast ballots in local races, a policy many argue undermines the voice of American citizens.
Let’s rewind to October 2022, when the D.C. Council passed the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act, setting the stage for noncitizens to vote in local elections starting in 2024.
Fast forward to March 2024, when a judge appointed by former President Obama tossed out a lawsuit challenging this law, claiming the plaintiffs didn’t have standing to sue.
That dismissal didn’t sit well, and on Friday, the appeals court stepped in, ruling that the law could indeed dilute the voting power of citizens, granting the plaintiffs the right to push forward with their case.
“As long as each person can be said to have suffered a distinct and concrete harm, we do not hold it against some plaintiffs that they may have company,” wrote Judge Raymond Randolph, a George H.W. Bush appointee.
“The alternative would be to render government action unreviewable as long as it disadvantages everyone equally,” Judge Randolph added. If everyone’s harmed, no one can complain? That’s a progressive sleight of hand if ever there was one.
Consider the numbers: the Migration Policy Institute estimates about 90,000 migrants reside in D.C., a sizable bloc that could sway local races under this ordinance.
GOP lawmakers aren’t mincing words, pointing out that this policy risks sidelining the voices of American citizens in favor of a broader, less accountable electorate.
In May 2024, the House passed a bill to scrap this D.C. voting law, though it stalled in the then-Democrat-controlled Senate.
Earlier this month, the House passed the same legislation again, and with a GOP-controlled Senate now in play, it stands a stronger chance of landing on President Donald Trump’s desk for a signature.
“I applaud today’s decision by the appeals court to reverse and remand a district court judge’s wrongful dismissal of a case against D.C.’s unconstitutional noncitizen voting laws,” said Texas GOP Rep. August Pfluger. While Pfluger’s passion is clear, one wonders if the Senate will match his urgency or let this drag on.
“It’s simple: only U.S. citizens should be allowed to vote in U.S. elections,” Pfluger declared. Hard to argue with that logic—unless, of course, you’re pushing an agenda that prioritizes optics over integrity.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has rolled out measures to curb noncitizen voting, including better access for state officials to federal databases for citizenship verification and partnerships between U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Social Security Administration.
Friday’s appeals court decision doesn’t strike down the D.C. law—it merely sends the case back to a district judge for reconsideration.
And while noncitizens remain barred from voting in national elections under federal law, the local loophole in D.C. continues to spark fierce debate. Isn’t it time to prioritize the rights of citizens over experimental policies?