Montgomery, AL – The U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ) has dismissed a lawsuit filed during the Biden-Harris administration aimed at halting Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen’s efforts to remove noncitizens from state voter rolls. Additionally, a separate but related lawsuit filed by private plaintiffs and advocacy organizations against Allen has also been dismissed.
Allen, who has consistently advocated for stricter voter roll maintenance, welcomed the decision. “Dismissal is a true victory for the State of Alabama, the Constitution, and election integrity,” he stated.
The lawsuit was initially filed in response to Allen’s efforts to access federal Department of Homeland Security data to identify noncitizens on Alabama’s voter rolls. After facing opposition from the Biden-Harris administration, Allen pursued an alternative approach using state-based data to identify individuals who had self-reported as noncitizens yet remained registered to vote. The effort was met with legal challenges from the USDOJ and various organizations.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Mac Warner of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division explained the decision to drop the case. “States are required to maintain accurate voting rolls and remove ineligible voters. This Administration supports the efforts of states like Alabama that engage in voting security measures that ensure only citizens are voting in our elections.” Warner added that the dismissal allows Alabama to develop a legal and effective process for voter roll maintenance ahead of future elections.
Allen has vowed to continue prioritizing election security. “Noncitizens are rightfully not allowed to vote under state and federal law. When noncitizens vote illegally, lawful votes are diluted,” he said.
With the lawsuit withdrawn, Alabama now has the opportunity to develop new protocols to ensure compliance with Section 8 of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), which mandates the maintenance of accurate voter rolls.
