Alabama Officials Flag Thousands of Potential Non-Citizens on Voter Rolls; Critics Warn of Data Errors
Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen has announced the identification of 3,251 individuals on the state’s voter rolls who have been issued non-citizen identification numbers by the Department of Homeland Security. The discovery has reignited national debate over election integrity and spurred renewed calls for the passage of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act.
Deep Search: The Numbers and the Process
While the initial probe flagged over 3,000 registrants as potential non-citizens, subsequent verification processes have refined these figures. Following the initial announcement, Secretary Allen’s office confirmed the removal of 186 individuals who were verified as non-citizens. Of this confirmed group, state officials reported that 25 had cast ballots in previous elections.
The discrepancy between the initial 3,251 flagged records and the 186 confirmed removals highlights the complexity of the verification process. The initial list was compiled by cross-referencing voter data with Department of Homeland Security lists of individuals issued non-citizen ID numbers. However, this database does not automatically update when a legal resident becomes a naturalized U.S. citizen. Consequently, many of the thousands initially flagged were likely naturalized citizens who are legally eligible to vote but whose status had not been updated in the specific federal database used for the check.
Background: The SAVE Act and National Implications
The findings in Alabama are being used by proponents to build momentum for the SAVE Act, federal legislation introduced to require documentary proof of citizenship—such as a passport or birth certificate—at the time of voter registration. Currently, federal law (the National Voter Registration Act of 1993) requires voters to attest to their citizenship under penalty of perjury but does not strictly require documentary proof for federal elections in all states.
Supporters argue that the Alabama findings prove that the current “honor system” is insufficient and that even a small number of non-citizen votes dilutes the franchise of legitimate citizens. They contend that if a deep-red state like Alabama, with strict election laws, has non-citizens on its rolls, the numbers could be significantly higher in states with larger immigrant populations and more permissive registration policies.
Objections and Counterarguments
Civil rights organizations and voting rights advocates have sharply criticized the methodology used in Alabama, arguing that the “purge” risks disenfranchising eligible American citizens.
Naturalized Citizens at Risk: Critics point out that the list of 3,251 “potential” non-citizens included many lawful voters who naturalized after receiving their initial non-citizen ID numbers. Placing the burden on these citizens to re-prove their eligibility or face removal is viewed by opponents as a form of voter suppression.
Data Reliability: Election experts warn that the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database used for these checks is designed for benefits verification, not voter registration maintenance. It is not a comprehensive list of current citizenship status, leading to “false positives” when used to scrub voter rolls.
Minimal Impact: Opponents argue that the confirmed discovery of 186 non-citizens out of over 3 million registered voters in Alabama constitutes an error rate of approximately 0.006%, suggesting that non-citizen voting is statistically negligible and does not warrant legislation that could create hurdles for millions of eligible voters who lack ready access to passports or birth certificates.
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