Examination of Claims Regarding Obama and Noncitizen Voting

President Donald Trump is advocating for more stringent proof of citizenship laws as the midterms approach. Counteracting this, social media platforms are abuzz with false claims that an old clip shows former President Barack Obama encouraging illegal voting in the 2016 election.

The video originates from a discussion by mitú, a Latino media outlet, where actress Gina Rodriguez questions Obama on voting myths. The claims mischaracterize his responses to inquiries about election integrity and the potential for voting to inadvertently expose immigration details.

Understanding the Allegations

Claim: A 2016 interview clip depicts then-President Obama urging illegal residents to participate in the election.

The Facts: This is inaccurate. The video has been edited to distort Obama’s message. His actual statement encouraged all eligible voters, notably Latino citizens, to participate. He clearly did not endorse voting by noncitizens.

An excerpt circulated widely online shows Obama stating, “If you want to vote and you show up at your polling place, they can’t stop you.” However, in the complete video, Obama discusses historical efforts to hinder voting, mainly affecting African Americans.

Rodriguez also broaches the topic of immigrant voters fearing exposure to immigration enforcement, asking if voting reveals their status. Obama reassures, saying, “Not true,” and emphasizes, “when you vote, you are a citizen yourself.” He points out that voting also represents those unable to vote legally.

Investigating Voting Practices

Studies indicate that noncitizen voting in federal elections is extremely rare. U.S. law, established in 1996, makes noncitizen voting illegal, with penalties including fines, imprisonment, and potential deportation.

During voter registration, individuals confirm their U.S. citizenship under penalty of perjury. Federal statutes mandate states to routinely update voter rolls to eliminate ineligible voters, thus identifying illegal immigrants.

No U.S. state constitutions permit noncitizen voting for positions such as governor or attorney general. Some cities do allow noncitizens to vote in local elections like school board or city council roles. Despite this, Trump and numerous Republicans argue that noncitizen voting is widespread in U.S. elections.

Recently, Trump noted a Department of Homeland Security probe identifying roughly 278,000 noncitizens registered for federal elections. Nonetheless, there is no claim that these individuals cast votes, and the data, primarily based on state voter lists and sometimes flawed public records, hasn’t been confirmed.

Responses to Allegations

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill acknowledged errors in the registration of about 6,600 noncitizens, attributed to software glitches at the Motor Vehicle Commission. Of these, fewer than 400 are thought to have voted according to a preliminary analysis.

The White House leveraged this issue to support Trump’s SAVE America Act. This legislation proposes a need for documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration and aims to implement national voter ID rules. Passed by the U.S. House, the proposal lacks Senate ratification amid Republican dissent.

For comprehensive fact checks, visit the Associated Press: AP Fact Checks.