The Democrats’ nationwide push for a noncitizen voting law is a “direct attack” on Americans’ rights, according to Christopher Hajec, the litigation director of the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI).
“American citizens have a constitutional right to govern themselves,” he said, adding, “This is a direct attack on that right, which has been repeatedly recognized by the Supreme Court.”
“The direct harm to Americans caused by noncitizen voting also ensures that Americans can get ‘standing’ to demand their day in court,” he explained.
In February, a D.C. law went into effect that allows certain non-U.S. citizen D.C. residents to vote in local elections provided they reach specific criteria.
Breitbart News asked Hajec to speak about the lawsuit IRLI filed that seeks a court order declaring D.C.’s expanded noncitizen voting law unlawful. Hajec explained that their lawsuit is unlike other civil rights cases that courts typically deem “not actionable.”
“You have the right to be protected by your government and all that, but that’s so not actionable, usually. I mean, you don’t have standing to get better police protection, for example. You can’t sue because the police don’t protect the public well enough,” Hajec said.
Hajec cited a lawsuit that Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach filed when he worked for IRLI that sought to hold a city accountable for the wrongful death of his client’s son at the hand of an illegal alien. However, “he was thrown out on standing,” Hajec said.
IRLI’s challenge to D.C.’s voting law differs from other cases that typically get thrown out due to lack of standing because the injury here is “undeniable and personal.”
“Standing works here because all voters have standing,” Hajec explained. “U.S. citizen voters have standing in D.C. for this.”
Hajec then told Breitbart News that the D.C. noncitizen voting law is a “direct attack” on Americans’ rights.
He also spoke out against other states, like Connecticut, whose legislatures have proposed legislation similar to D.C.’s that would grant noncitizens the right to vote in local elections.
“The State of Connecticut, there’s been legislation introduced to make noncitizens eligible to vote in state elections, not just local,” Hajec said. “And it would just be kind of the International Republic of Connecticut. It really wouldn’t be entirely American anymore.”
Although Hajec said he would “never” predict the case’s outcome, he said IRLI and the seven plaintiffs it represents have the “better argument.”
Hajec believes legislation crafted to give noncitizens voting rights aims to promote a “one world government agenda.”
Jordan Dixon-Hamilton is a reporter for Breitbart News. Write to him at jdixonhamilton@breitbart.com or follow him on Twitter.
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