DES MOINES—Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird today opposed the Biden-Harris Department of Justice’s (“DOJ”) last-minute effort to force Virginia to re-add self-identified noncitizens onto the State’s voter rolls—in violation of both federal and Virginia law.

In August, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order to uphold election integrity and remove more than 1,500 self-identified noncitizens from its state voter rolls. That executive order enforced a law initially enacted under then-Democratic Governor Tim Kaine more than ten years ago. Federal law has long made clear that noncitizens cannot vote, and the Biden-Harris administration is required to work with states to verify the legal status of registered voters. Instead, the Biden-Harris DOJ waited until October and then sued Virginia to force self-identified noncitizens back onto its state voter rolls just ahead of the November 5 election.

“Federal and state law are clear: only citizens can vote,” said Attorney General Bird. “But rather than following the law and partnering with the States to promote election integrity, the Biden-Harris DOJ has been a roadblock. We must ensure election integrity.”

The States make the case that federal and state laws clearly say that only citizens can vote. Virginia has the right to remove noncitizens from its state voter rolls.

Iowa joined the Kansas-led amicus brief. They were joined by 24 other states, including Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

Read the full amicus brief here.

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For More Information:

Alyssa Brouillet | Communications Director

515-823-9112

alyssa.brouillet@ag.iowa.gov