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State looking into registered voters who may be in U.S. legally but are not citizens
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-- -- New investigation now in -- -- -- trying to determine if thousands of registered voters may actually be citizens of another country.
We're not talking about illegal immigrants who are getting on to the voter rolls in this case we're talking about people who legally got to the processes with highway safety.
-- a driver's license which is absolutely okay for non citizen to do.
But they can't registered -- Well Florida is a critical state and you know that already.
29 electoral votes this time around remember just a few hundred votes determine the winner in 200537.
I think -- -- -- -- -- -- bonds but -- is a senior legal fellow.
At The Heritage Foundation previously served as a member of the Federal Election Commission answer welcome here to America's Newsroom and good morning -- The good morning -- what's the issue here.
Well the issue is -- state has started comparing their driver's license records to.
Voter registration records and so far they've already turned up almost 3000.
People -- May be the United States legally but aren't citizens but who may also have registered and voted which is a felony under federal law to how do you define -- non citizen.
-- houses -- possible.
Well you know you can be in the United States illegally you can be a Green card holder you can be here on of these.
And every state will let you get a driver's license.
The problem of course is this is just the tip of the iceberg because there -- only.
Turning out people who -- in the US.
Legally but not citizens what they're not able to find by -- those records are people who are in the United States -- legally.
But who are registering in -- and let me know and that's going on but even if you wanted to driver's license here from another country -- you need a passport.
And -- needs some sort of identity didn't show where your from.
You do but that doesn't prevent people unfortunately.
-- breaking the law and registering and voting as you can see because they've never before compared.
These two records look the Justice Department in a three year period back during the Bush Administration.
They criminally prosecuted almost a dozen.
People in Florida who weren't US citizens who were registering and voting including a guy who then tried to run for the state legislature.
You charter run for -- -- government -- Florida.
That's remarkable of the the -- the sarcasm.
Nothing more but I hear the critics are saying.
The minorities and it and the college students.
Those are the people you're after you're trying to affect the outcome of elections whether it's on the county level of the state level ultimately what -- -- 2000.
On the national level how do you respond to that -- Well that's just foolish look it is against federal law and it's against state -- every stay.
For you to vote if you're not the United States citizen and what -- these critics saying that they think people who are in the United States.
And aren't citizens should be able to vote in the upcoming election I mean that that is just something that.
Americans do not agree guys have -- -- is this headed then -- getting cooperation in Florida -- that you figured to be able verify all this before the next time.
But the next -- rolls around in six months.
Well I think the state is doing the right thing but what's not happening and what should be happening is.
The federal government is not giving Florida access to federal.
INS records on people who are in the United States illegally or otherwise and that's what they really need.
To be able to -- to show that people who are registered to vote.
Are in fact US citizens like they're supposed we're gonna keep in contact -- the folks in Florida we'll see how much progress is made on this or not thank you three times -- it's good to have you on the bench.
