DOJ sues Virginia for allegedly purging noncitizens from voting rolls too close to election

The U.S. Department of Justice is suing Virginia, alleging that the commonwealth removed noncitizens from its elector rolls excessively adjacent to Election Day.

The complaint alleges that the authorities Board of Elections and Virginia Commissioner of Elections Susan Beals violated the national National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), which mandates that states indispensable implicit their attraction programme nary aboriginal than 90 days earlier an predetermination nether a clause known arsenic the Quiet Period Provision.

The bureau alleges that Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin violated the NVRA erstwhile announcing and subsequently carrying retired an enforcement bid which required the predetermination commissioner to regularly update the state’s elector lists to region individuals who person been "identified arsenic noncitizens," and had not responded to a petition to verify their citizenship successful 14 days. 

Under Youngkin's enforcement order, Virginia has removed 6,303 individuals.

"The Executive Order formalized the Program and announced that 6,303 individuals had been removed from the rolls pursuant to the aforesaid process betwixt January 2022 and July 2024," the ailment said.

DOJ SUES ALABAMA, STATE'S TOP ELECTION OFFICIAL FOR ALLEGEDLY PURGING NONCITIZEN VOTERS TOO CLOSE TO ELECTION

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin speaks during the Republican National Convention astatine the Fiserv Forum successful Milwaukee, July 15. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The ailment notes that voters were identified arsenic imaginable noncitizens if they responded "no" to questions astir their citizenship presumption connected definite forms submitted to the authorities Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

"This systematic elector removal program, which the State is conducting wrong 90 days of the upcoming national election, violates the Quiet Period Provision," the DOJ said.

In a statement, Yougkin pushed backmost connected the Justice Department's lawsuit, saying the suit was "politically motivated."

"With little than 30 days until the election, the Biden-Harris Department of Justice is filing an unprecedented suit against maine and the Commonwealth of Virginia, for appropriately enforcing a 2006 instrumentality signed by Democrat Tim Kaine that requires Virginia to region noncitizens from the elector rolls - a process that starts with idiosyncratic declaring themselves a non-citizen and past registering to vote," Youngkins said.

"Virginians - and Americans - volition spot this for precisely what it is: a hopeless effort to onslaught the legitimacy of the elections successful the Commonwealth, the precise crucible of American Democracy," helium said.

Younkin vowed to "defend these commonsense steps" and promised that the state's predetermination would beryllium "secure and fair."

YOUNGKIN MANDATES ALL PAPER BALLOTS FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN VIRGINIA

"With the enactment of our Attorney General, we volition support these commonsense steps, that we are legally required to take, with each assets disposable to us," he said. "Virginia’s predetermination volition beryllium unafraid and fair, and I volition not basal idly by arsenic this politically motivated enactment tries to interfere successful our elections, period."

A unpaid holds a sticker to springiness to a elector astatine a polling spot connected Election Day successful Stamford, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, wrote connected X that the DOJ suit is "election interference."

THOUSANDS OF NONCITIZENS REMOVED FROM VOTER ROLLS, DOZENS OF LAWMAKERS WANT ANSWERS FROM GARLANDc

"The Biden-Harris medication is engaging successful predetermination interference," helium wrote. "They’re harassing states that are trying to marque definite that noncitizens can’t vote. This is simply a lawless maltreatment of power."

The Justice Department suit against Virginia comes aft the bureau sued Alabama and its Republican Secretary of State Wes Allen implicit the state’s elector purge programme that targeted noncitizen voters. 

The Justice Department has besides sued Alabama and its Republican Secretary of State Wes Allen implicit the state’s elector purge program.  (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

The Justice Department seeks injunctive alleviation that "would reconstruct the quality of impacted eligible voters to ballot unimpeded connected Election Day," and "would prohibit aboriginal quiescent play violations," the DOJ said successful a statement.

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"The section besides seeks remedial mailings to amended eligible voters concerning the restoration of their rights and capable grooming of section officials and canvass workers to code disorder and distrust among eligible voters accused of being noncitizens," the bureau said.

Fox News Digital has reached retired to Youngkin for comment.