MONTGOMERY, AL — Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen has announced that his office identified 186 individuals listed as noncitizens who were registered to vote in Alabama and has directed their immediate removal from the state voter file. The review was conducted through the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program, which is now being used for voter-roll maintenance under a memorandum of understanding between Alabama and DHS-USCIS.
State records indicate that 25 of the 186 individuals were not only registered despite lacking U.S. citizenship status, but are also listed as having cast ballots in previous Alabama elections. Alabama officials describe those votes as illegal under state and federal law.
According to the Secretary of State’s Office, Allen began the process of identifying potential noncitizens in the voter file shortly after entering into the memorandum of understanding, which authorizes the office to utilize SAVE for citizenship verification related to voter-file accuracy. Each person flagged through the system was reportedly notified and given an opportunity to respond with documentation proving U.S. citizenship. Local boards of registrars were instructed to remove individuals who did not provide the requested proof.
The Secretary of State’s Office has confirmed that all 186 removals have been completed. In addition to the administrative action, Allen said the matters will be referred to local, state, and federal law enforcement authorities for review and any appropriate legal response.
Allen reiterated his position on the issue in the statement supplied to the Journal, saying, “Our elections must be decided by American citizens and only American citizens.” He added that his office will continue to monitor the voter file for violations of eligibility laws and refer confirmed cases for investigation.
In a longer comment included in the release, Allen said, “While liberal organizations and media outlets claim noncitizen voting is not a problem, my office has proven otherwise. Under my watch, illegal registration and illegal voting by noncitizens will not be tolerated in Alabama.”
The announcement reflects an ongoing national debate about the scope of noncitizen registration, the methods states use to verify eligibility, and the balance between election security and voter access. Alabama registrars note that voter-file maintenance is a routine responsibility of the state, while advocacy organizations in various states have cautioned that database reviews must be handled carefully to avoid confusion about citizenship status or the removal of eligible voters.
