New York’s top court will consider a city law allowing noncitizens to register to vote in New York City‘s elections this week.
The court will hear arguments in the case on Tuesday, with lawyers for Democrats arguing in favor of legislation the city already passed to allow noncitizen voters. If successful, the over 800,000 noncitizens living in the Big Apple would be able to cast ballots in city-level contests like mayoral elections. Proponents of the bill claim noncitizens are being unfairly taxed.
“In five City Council districts, non-U.S. citizens make up about a third of the adult population,” attorneys for the city wrote in a filing. “These New Yorkers pay billions in taxes and yet have no say in local policies on public safety, garbage collection, or housing — all matters that affect their day-to-day lives.”
Meanwhile, Republicans in the city are flabbergasted by the effort, pointing to language in the state constitution granting voting rights to “every citizen.”
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“It’s hard to discuss because it’s crazy it’s even an issue,” state Sen. Andrew Lanza, a Staten Island Republican, told Politico. “Citizens ought to vote; if you’re not a citizen of a country, you should not have a say.”
New York’s state constitution states, “Every citizen shall be entitled to vote at every election for all officers elected by the people and upon all questions submitted to the vote of the people.”
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An appellate court sided with Republicans on the issue last year in a 3-1 ruling. The panel of judges found an “irrefutable inference applies that noncitizens were intended to be excluded from those entitled to vote,” Politico reported.
The case comes amid a burgeoning race among Democrats to replace New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who remains embroiled in legal trouble.
Adams’ administration has struggled to handle a massive influx of illegal immigrants in recent years. City residents have complained about the accomodation methods of migrants as well.
Furious residents expressed their anger Monday after learning they were powerless to stop a massive 2,200 male-only migrant shelter from opening in their neighborhood, raising concerns that the new facility will make their community less safe, especially for women.
The mayor’s office told Fox News Digital last month that despite the new shelter being opened, they are planning to close 46 migrant shelters across the city and reduce the total shelter bed count by 10,000 by June. The city noted that the Hall Street shelter in Brooklyn, one of the largest shelters being closed, housed 3,500 migrants.
Fox News’ Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
