In a move that will delight conservatives, Arizona has taken the initiative to purge up to 50,000 noncitizens from voter rolls, leading America First Legal (AFL) to declare victory for election integrity.
See the tweet below!
This decisive action, after a lawsuit by AFL, sends a clear message about the state’s commitment to safeguarding citizenship-based voting.
With the Department of Homeland Security now involved, one wonders how this triumph will reshape future elections in Arizona and beyond.
All 15 Arizona counties are currently scrutinizing their voter rolls to identify noncitizens.
Collaborating with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the counties aim to verify the citizenship status of voters.
Arizona law mandates that voting is a right reserved for U.S. citizens, which explains why approximately 50,000 registrants will be under review.
These registrants failed to provide proof of U.S. citizenship at the time of registration.
Despite critics claiming little evidence of widespread voter fraud, Arizona’s move is rationalized by its proximity to the Mexican border, where an estimated 250,000 illegal immigrants reside, AOL reports.
The motivation behind this comprehensive review comes in part from a lawsuit initiated by America First Legal.
AFL argued that counties were not complying with state laws requiring the use of available resources to verify voter citizenship.
As part of the lawsuit’s settlement, Yavapai and Mohave Counties—and subsequently all 15 counties—have agreed to request verification assistance from DHS.
The settlement also incentivizes counties to perform monthly maintenance that aligns with Arizona’s monthly voter roll checks as stipulated by law.
“I promised the voters of Maricopa County that I would pursue every avenue to clean up our voter rolls, and that’s exactly what we’re doing. Ensuring only citizens can cast a ballot in future elections is essential to restoring trust in Maricopa County elections,” stated Justin Heap, the Recorder of Maricopa County.
“It is my sincere hope that DHS will respond affirmatively and provide the resources we need to run comprehensive checks of our voter registration system against their non-citizen database. ‘One citizen, one vote’ isn’t just a slogan, it is the right of every American citizen,” he added.
Despite the machinery set to remove noncitizens from voter lists, the Republican-led House recently put forth the SAVE Act to enforce federal requirements for proving citizenship at voter registration.
Critics have voiced concerns that such measures may impose undue difficulty on rural voters who lack easy access to necessary documents and courthouses.
Such legislation could potentially decrease voter turnout by triggering bureaucratic obstacles.
Still, James Rogers of AFL praised the effort, stating, “This settlement is a great result for all Arizonans.”
“AFL filed the lawsuit against the 15 Arizona counties last year…
As a result… all 15 Arizona counties have now begun the process of verifying and removing noncitizens from their voter rolls, including nearly 50,000 registrants who did not provide proof of U.S. citizenship.” pic.twitter.com/Ro2MR2lPle
— America First Legal (@America1stLegal) April 14, 2025
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has called for a special election to fill the late Representative Raúl Grijalva’s seat, with a voter registration deadline set for August 25.
The timing adds an extra layer of complexity to the ongoing review of voter rolls.
Maricopa County has taken a proactive step by opening communication channels with DHS to verify the citizenship status of voters who are lacking Documentary Proof of Citizenship (DPOC).
Registrants who prove their citizenship will move to the regular voter list, while those confirmed as noncitizens will have their registration revoked.
