Alabama's Voter Registrations at Risk

— In a controversial move, Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen announced that 3,251 registered voters identified as noncitizens by the federal government will have their registration status changed to inactive. This decision, which affects a small fraction of Alabama's over 3 million registered voters, has drawn immediate backlash from voter rights advocates who argue it could disenfranchise eligible voters. Allen's office utilized a list of noncitizen identification numbers from the Department of Homeland Security to cross-reference local voter registration data. He emphasized that this action is part of an ongoing effort to ensure the integrity of the voter file, stating that the list will also be forwarded to the Attorney General’s Office for potential criminal investigation. The announcement comes amid heightened concerns over noncitizen voting, a topic that has gained traction in Republican rhetoric despite a lack of evidence supporting widespread voter fraud. Opponents of the initiative, including prominent Democrats and voting rights organizations, have criticized the move as an overreach that could disenfranchise legitimate voters. They highlight existing laws that already penalize noncitizen voting, arguing that the new requirements for the affected individuals to prove their citizenship could lead to significant collateral damage in terms of voter access. Jonathan Diaz, director of voting advocacy for the Campaign Legal Center, likened the response to using "a bazooka to kill a cockroach," suggesting that while the intent may be to address a minor issue, the broader implications could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.