Steve Cortes, president of the League of American Workers, said on April 23 that weaknesses in Pennsylvania’s voter registration systems have allowed non-citizens to participate in federal elections in a key swing state.
The issue has drawn attention following the arrest in Philadelphia of a Mauritanian national who entered the United States unlawfully, ignored a 2002 deportation order, and voted illegally in seven federal elections.
“In Philadelphia, ICE arrested a Mauritanian illegal who entered the U.S. unlawfully and ignored a 2002 deportation order, yet voted illegally in seven federal elections,” Cortes said.
“Pennsylvania’s motor-voter scam left up to 100,000 non-citizens on the rolls, letting foreign nationals like this one steal votes from working-class Americans in a key swing state. That’s not democracy — that’s total dereliction by the political class and an assault on our sovereignty,” he added.
Cortes made his statement after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested the individual described as a criminal illegal alien from Mauritania. The Department of Homeland Security detailed that this person had been under a removal order since 2002, which was upheld on appeal.
Pennsylvania’s motor-voter system has faced scrutiny after state analysis found that approximately 100,000 registered voters may potentially be non-citizens or may have been non-citizens at some point due to decades-long driver’s license processes. Advocacy groups are seeking full access to records so officials can address eligibility issues through court action according to Public Interest Legal Foundation.
Federal law prohibits non-citizens from voting in U.S. elections with penalties including fines, imprisonment, and removal from the country. ICE works with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to investigate immigration violations and voter fraud cases to protect election integrity for American citizens according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Cortes founded the League of American Workers in 2022 to advocate for American workers’ interests on border security and economic policy issues. He previously served as a senior adviser to President Trump and continues his focus on labor and immigration matters as a conservative commentator.
