McCarthy Holds Steady: Resolution on Immigrants Passes House

Last Friday House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Tulare) filed a non-binding resolution to condemn illegal immigrant voting as it “devalues” votes cast by United States citizens.

To McCarthy’s likeness, today his resolution 1071 has passed the House with a mostly non-partisan vote. The resolution enters language into the record reflecting the notion that “allowing illegal immigrants the right to vote devalues the franchise and diminishes the voting power of the United States citizens.”

Despite passing the House, McCarthy has been anything but pleased after the final vote tally. He tweeted today, “STAT OF THE DAY: 140 Democrats refused to vote ‘YES’ on a resolution condemning voting by illegal immigrants in our elections” while also stating “Ultimately I’m concerned about the message that this practice send about American citizenship itself.”

This bill comes after the city of San Francisco became the most recent to allow non U.S. citizens to vote in school board elections. Local lawmakers claimed this was necessary because one third of kids in that region have parents or guardians who are not citizens.

Most of the House agrees with McCarthy’s notion; however, according to the vote 140 Democrats from different states do not. Additionally, this legislation originates from a state that has already issued valid driver’s license to illegal immigrants. In 2015 Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 1461 giving those in the country illegally the right to obtain a driver’s license. Many people believe this is a ploy by Democrats to allow undocumented people one step closer to voting in state-wide elections, although this has not yet been the case.

Although McCarthy has not commented on the question, after receiving a healthy number of yes votes on his resolution, it will be interesting to see if he aims for this to become federal law.