Illegal immigrants can now vote to shape education in CA—let’s hope Colorado doesn’t follow suit

Apparently, San Francisco, California thinks that you no longer need to be a U.S. citizen to have the right to vote. Come this November election, immigrants who are here illegally can show up at the voting booth to shape the direction of education in San Francisco. Wait a second…let me get this straight…those who are breaking the rules get to vote on and make the rules? This can’t be good.

In the November 2016 election, Californians voted to allow non-citizens to vote. The Charter of the City and the County of San Francisco was amended to allow San Francisco residents “who are not United States citizens but who are the parents, legal guardians, or caregivers of a child residing in San Francisco to vote in elections for the Board of Education.” That amendment will now be implemented for the first time in this year’s upcoming election.

Doesn’t that break Federal law, which declares non-citizens are not allowed to vote? Actually…no. It’s true that Federal law proclaims that non-citizens cannot vote to elect any Federal offices, such as the President, Vice President, Senator, Representative, etcetera. However, non-citizens are authorized to vote in other types of elections—such as a city election for a Board of Education—if a State constitution, statute, or local ordinance allows it. So, that’s how San Francisco is getting away with this craziness.

To be fair to San Francisco, this isn’t without precedent. Up until the 1900s, non-citizens were allowed to vote in most states, and currently, a city in Maryland allows non-citizens to vote in city elections.  Nonetheless, it does not make sense to allow people who are here illegally to vote.

Those who are all gung-ho about non-citizens voting say the intention is not to allow illegal aliens to vote but to give a vote on local matters to legal non-citizens who are permanent residents. If it’s true that the intent is not to allow illegal immigrants to vote, then why doesn’t the amendment simply clarify that only legal non-citizens can vote? Instead, the wording of the amendment leaves it completely open for illegal immigrants to vote.

Also, why in the world will there be an “important notice” on the San Francisco ballot, warning people that their information will be public and immigration officers might find out about them? Doesn’t that imply San Francisco is expecting illegal immigrants to come vote? I think it’s crystal clear what the intention is—it’s about opening the ballot door to illegal immigrants.

Now, before some liberal yells that we’re being racist for not wanting illegal immigrants to vote, this isn’t about race. This is about whether someone is breaking the law to be in America or not. The U.S. Constitution declares the right to vote is not to be “denied or abridged on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” Yes and amen. We’re not advocating that people should be denied the right to vote based on their race, but based on their legal status in America.

Those who disrespect the law by being here illegally should not have the right to shape our nation’s laws. If they truly respect America and our rule of law, they can prove it by becoming a citizen or being here legally.

That means we also need to promote immigration reform that gives a clear pathway to citizenship to the lovers and respecters of our country. The muddied, near-impossible, red-taped path to legal residency and citizenship needs cleaned up. However, while we’re working to clean it up, we cannot just start allowing those who took the illegal shortcut to vote.

Those are my thoughts. What are yours? Please send us a message and let us know what you’re thinking!