Central Montana Times

U.S. Senator Steve Daines, alongside several other lawmakers, has called on U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to address concerns about reports of illegal aliens registering to vote. The inquiry follows reports indicating thousands of non-citizens may have registered and participated in federal elections.

"We are deeply concerned by reports of non-citizens registering to vote and voting in federal elections," the members of Congress stated. They expressed alarm over the lack of response from the Department of Justice (DOJ) since an initial inquiry made on July 12, 2024. With the presidential election less than 34 days away, they stressed that "your Department’s inaction and refusal to provide any information regarding its efforts to promote public trust and confidence in our elections is especially alarming."

The senators emphasized the potential impact on public trust, noting, "Clearly, there is a non-negligible amount of voter participation by non-citizens in federal elections, which is not only a serious threat to the integrity of our elections and the democratic process they represent but also has the potential to reduce Americans’ trust and confidence in election results."

In their communication with Attorney General Garland, the lawmakers sought specific information about actions taken by the DOJ concerning this issue:

1. Details on cases involving aliens charged or convicted under relevant U.S.C statutes since January 20, 2021.

2. Information on referrals received from government officials or the public related to these statutes.

3. Procedures followed by the DOJ for investigating allegations of non-citizen voting.

4. Measures implemented by the DOJ to detect and prevent illegal registration and voting by non-citizens.

5. Steps taken to collaborate with Homeland Security for obtaining relevant data.

6. Efforts made by U.S. Attorneys and the Public Integrity Section concerning election crimes.

7. Actions planned as the election approaches for handling violations related to illegal voting or registration.

The letter also questioned what measures have been undertaken specifically concerning Virginia and Texas election officials regarding unlawfully registered voters.