A Texas newspaper recently criticized Governor Greg Abbott and other Republican leaders, suggesting they are “hurting our democracy” by alleging widespread election fraud among noncitizen voters.
Claims about noncitizen voting have gained traction among Republicans, who assert without solid evidence that illegal immigrants are illegally registering for this year’s elections. In July, the Republican-majority House passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which mandates that individuals registering to vote provide proof of U.S. citizenship.
On Monday, Abbott revealed that since September 2021, Texas has removed over 1 million individuals from its voter rolls. Most removals involved deceased voters (over 457,000) and those placed on the suspense list (over 463,000)—a list of individuals who may have changed their addresses since registering.
Out of those purged, over 6,500 were identified as noncitizens, with approximately 1,300 reportedly having voted. However, this represents just 0.1 percent of ineligible voters—a figure deemed statistically insignificant. The Dallas Morning News editorial board pointed out the importance of regularly updating voter rolls, while cautioning against creating unnecessary panic about electoral integrity.
The op-ed also called out Abbott, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick for perpetuating a narrative that can lead voters to believe that elections are rigged when their preferred candidates lose, echoing unfounded claims about the 2020 presidential election.
In response, Paxton announced a probe into potential illegal voter registrations by noncitizens, motivated by reports that nonprofits may be assisting individuals in registering outside Texas Department of Public Safety offices, which is unnecessary since citizens can register during ID renewals.
Paxton elaborated in a press release, expressing concern over organizations that might unlawfully facilitate voter registration. His office is also conducting investigations in Frio, Atascosa, and Bexar Counties related to alleged election fraud and vote harvesting from the 2022 midterms.
Voter access in Texas ranks as one of the most challenging in the U.S., as highlighted by the Election Law Journal. Under Senate Bill 1, enacted by Abbott in 2021, acts of deceit during voter registration have been classified as felonies, alongside the implementation of mandatory audits every two years.