Arizona Counties Scrub Voter Rolls of Illegal Aliens After Legal Showdown

By Staff Reporter |

All 15 counties in Arizona are collaborating to eliminate illegal aliens from their voter rolls. This initiative follows a lawsuit brought by America First Legal (AFL), a right-wing nonprofit organization.

The extent of illegal aliens registered to vote in Arizona remains unclear. Currently, nearly 50,000 individuals are classified as “federal-only” voters, meaning they can only participate in federal races due to a lack of proof of citizenship.

AFL’s lawsuit, filed last year, has resulted in settlements from various counties, starting with Yavapai and Mohave counties and culminating in agreements from all remaining counties recently. According to a press release from AFL, county recorders are now working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to verify citizenship status for all registered voters lacking proof of citizenship.

The lawsuit was predicated on the belief that county recorders were not leveraging available resources for citizenship verification, even though Arizona law mandates regular maintenance of voter rolls to remove noncitizen entries. Additionally, federal law allows state and local authorities to confirm citizenship status.

AFL’s senior counsel, James Rogers, expressed optimism for the integrity of Arizona’s elections moving forward. “This settlement is a great result for all Arizonans. It will help County Recorders find and remove any aliens on their voter rolls,” Rogers stated. He also highlighted that confirming the citizenship of federal-only voters might enable them to participate in state and local elections.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Strong Communities Foundation of Arizona, also known as “EZAZ,” and registered voter Yvonne Cahill. In the 2020 presidential election, over 11,600 federal-only voters cast ballots, as reported by AZ Free News.

On his inauguration day, President Donald Trump mandated that the DHS provide state and local governments with the necessary tools to verify citizenship and immigration statuses. Additionally, Trump reiterated this directive with another executive order last month, requiring DHS to share its citizenship database with states.

Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap indicated his intent to comply with the settlement once he assembles an IT team. He emphasized the importance of transparency and integrity in elections, declaring, “One citizen, one vote.” However, Heap expressed frustrations about the limitations imposed on his office by others in the system. He stated, “I wasn’t elected to beg unelected bureaucrats for the right to carry out the will of the voters.”

Heap also mentioned ongoing disputes with the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, pertaining to the reduction of his office’s powers under an agreement established prior to his tenure.