Texas AG Investigates 33 Potential Noncitizens for Voting in 2024 Election
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into 33 potential noncitizens who allegedly voted in the 2024 general election. The probe was initiated after Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson accessed information via an executive order from President Donald Trump, which granted states access to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s SAVE database to verify voter citizenship. The investigation is part of broader efforts to combat voter fraud in Texas, with the state having previously removed over 1.1 million voters, including more than 6,500 alleged noncitizens.
Paxton, a Republican running against Sen. John Cornyn in a Senate primary, has emphasized the importance of ensuring election integrity. In a press statement, Paxton’s office said the investigation was triggered by information that Nelson was able to access through Trump’s executive order. The order, titled ‘Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections,’ directed the Department of State and Homeland Security to provide states with access to systems for verifying voter citizenship and immigration status.
Trump’s order also instructed DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to ensure that all foreign nationals who had indicated on immigration forms that they had registered or voted in elections would be reported to relevant state and local election officials. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s SAVE database was made available to states at no cost, allowing Nelson to identify the alleged noncitizens. Paxton stated that the investigation would be thorough, reiterating his commitment to protecting electoral integrity and ensuring that only American citizens influence the outcomes of elections.
Earlier this year, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced the removal of 1.1 million voters, including over 6,500 potential noncitizens, from the state’s voter rolls. The governor’s office claimed that more than 1,930 of these removed voters had a voting history, but critics have raised concerns that the numbers may have been inflated. Despite the controversy, Abbott has defended the removal process as a necessary step to secure election integrity.
These efforts align with a broader conservative push to tighten voting laws and reinforce election security. The focus on noncitizen voting reflects a persistent concern among Republican lawmakers, who have long viewed such allegations as a threat to electoral legitimacy. As the 2024 election approaches, the investigation into these 33 individuals underscores the heightened scrutiny being placed on voter eligibility and the perceived risks of foreign interference in the democratic process.