On Wednesday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, declared that his department is initiating a probe into groups suspected of illegally registering non-citizens to vote. His office’s Election Integrity Unit discovered that several nonprofits had set up registration assistance booths outside the Driver License offices operated by the Texas Department of Public Safety. This effort aims to facilitate voter registration for U.S. citizens who are obtaining or renewing their driver’s licenses or ID cards.
“Texans are deeply troubled by the possibility that organizations purporting to assist with voter registration are illegally registering noncitizens to vote in our elections. If eligible citizens can legally register to vote when conducting their business at a DPS office, why would they need a second opportunity to register with a booth outside?” Paxton said in a press release. “My office is investigating every credible report we receive regarding potential criminal activity that could compromise the integrity of our elections.”
He also criticized the Biden-Harris Administration for their role in increasing illegal immigration, suggesting this could enable illegal election interference by non-U.S. citizens at various government levels.
“The Biden-Harris Administration has intentionally flooded our country with illegal aliens, and without proper safeguards, foreign nationals can illegally influence elections at the local, state, and national level. It is a crime to vote—or to register to vote—if you are not a United States Citizen. Any wrongdoing will be punished to the fullest extent of the law,” he said.
In Texas, non-citizens and individuals not residing in the state are subject to severe penalties for participating in electoral processes, including voting. Penalties include fines up to $10,000 and prison terms of up to 20 years, in addition to felony charges for false statements about citizenship status, which could lead to a two-year state jail term and substantial fines.
