Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has signed an executive order mandating that state executive agencies include a disclaimer on voter registration forms, explicitly stating that noncitizens are prohibited from registering to vote and participating in elections. This executive order cites both federal law and Article 1, Section 10 of the Louisiana Constitution, both of which restrict voting rights to U.S. citizens.
The disclaimer stipulated by the executive order will read: “The Louisiana Constitution prohibits non-citizens from registering and voting. Therefore, it is illegal for non-citizens to register and vote in Louisiana.” The move comes in response to concerns about undocumented immigrants voting in state elections, exacerbated by what the Governor describes as a broken immigration system under the Biden-Harris administration. Governor Landry emphasized that any illegally cast vote dilutes the value of votes cast by lawful citizens, as stated in the executive order.
Governor Landry highlighted in a press conference that the United States has long been a nation of immigrants, but stressed that voting is a right reserved for those who have followed proper legal channels to become U.S. citizens. “Citizenship should mean something,” he remarked, underscoring that upholding the principles of liberty, democracy, and rule of law is integral to the nation’s identity.
This executive directive follows a recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold Arizona’s election law, which requires proof of citizenship for voter registration, setting a significant precedent for similar measures across the country.
More details on this development can be found on JURIST.