NYC Councilman: ‘Un-American’ Not to Give Voting Rights to Non-Citizens

A New York City councilman says it is “un-American” not to allow non-citizens to vote in elections.

While promoting his legislation to award voting rights to 500,000 to one million non-citizens in New York City, Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez (D-Manhattan) said during a rally outside City Hall last week that it is “un-American” to leave non-citizens out of American elections.

“I can tell you what’s un-American,” Rodriguez said, according to the Brooklyn Eagle. “Denying people who pay their taxes the right to choose their representative that will determine where their money is allocated; what schools and parks and senior centers will receive funding. It is un-American to leave them out of that process.”

Rodriguez’s legislation, supported by a total of 27 councilmembers thus far, would allow non-citizens who have been living in New York City for at least 30 days to register to vote for local elections — indicating that green card-holders could obtain voting rights after just a month of living in the U.S.

Mayor Bill de Blasio has yet to announce a decision on whether he will support the plan.

Similar to New York City Democrats, elected Democrats in the state’s legislature are pushing a measure that would automatically register to vote all eligible state residents who apply for driver’s licenses unless they check an “opt-out” box.

As of this year, illegal aliens are able to obtain driver’s licenses in New York, indicating that illegal aliens and non-citizens will only be excluded from the state voter rolls if they check the opt-out box before applying for a license.

Elected Democrats have argued there are safeguards in the legislation such as mandating that non-citizens and illegal aliens check the opt-out box.

John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter at @JxhnBinder.