The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 against Biden Department of Justice efforts Wednesday to keep thousands of non-citizens on Virginia’s voter rolls ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Justices Sonja Sotomayor, Elana Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented.
“BREAKING: I am pleased to announce that the US Supreme Court granted Virginia’s emergency stay to keep noncitizens off our voter rolls,” Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, who filed an emergency stay with the Court earlier this week, wrote on X.
“We are pleased by the Supreme Court’s order today. This is a victory for commonsense and election fairness. I am grateful for the work of Attorney General Jason Miyares on this critical fight to protect the fundamental rights of U.S. citizens,” Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin added.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin calls the Supreme Court decision allowing the state to remove noncitizens from the voter rolls a victory for common sense and the Constitution pic.twitter.com/qQB5hLzqOP
— America (@america) October 30, 2024
DOJ issued the lawsuit against Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin and the Commonwealth of Virginia last Friday after Youngkin's enforcement of a state law, which was put into place by former Democratic Governor Tim Kaine in 2006. The move was immediately blasted and contested in federal court, leading to the Supreme Court ruling Wednesday.
"With less than 30 days until the election, the Biden-Harris Department of Justice is filing an unprecedented lawsuit against me and the Commonwealth of Virginia, for appropriately enforcing a 2006 law signed by Democrat Tim Kaine that requires Virginia to remove noncitizens from the voter rolls - a process that starts with someone declaring themselves a non-citizen and then registering to vote," Youngkin released in a statement. "Virginians - and Americans - will see this for exactly what it is: a desperate attempt to attack the legitimacy of the elections in the Commonwealth, the very crucible of American Democracy. With the support of our Attorney General, we will defend these commonsense steps, that we are legally required to take, with every resource available to us. Virginia’s election will be secure and fair, and I will not stand idly by as this politically motivated action tries to interfere in our elections, period."
“Clean voter rolls are one important part of a comprehensive approach we are taking to ensure the fairness of our elections," he contiued.
An outstanding victory for election integrity at the highest court in the land!
— Michael Whatley (@ChairmanWhatley) October 30, 2024
Non-citizens cannot be allowed to vote in American elections, and this is a perfect example of brave state officials stepping up to make sure the law is enforced. https://t.co/q8rlB3bSqQ
An important win for election integrity. Only Americans should decide American elections.
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) October 30, 2024
Grateful for Governor @GlennYoungkin’s leadership on this effort. https://t.co/lrPxiKmuuf
This story has been updated with additional information.