by Eric Lendrum
On Thursday, New York City took the unprecedented step of allowing all illegal aliens within the city to cast votes in local elections, becoming the largest locality in the United States to do so, CNN reports.
The Democrat-majority City Council passed a measure approving the new change to local election laws, formally titled “Our City, Our Vote,” by a margin of 33 to 14.
The new legislation declares that any illegals who have lived in the city for at least 30 days, such as green card holders, DACA recipients, and illegals with workers’ permits, are allowed to vote in elections for mayor, city council, public advocate, and borough president.
The bill was sponsored by Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez (D-N.Y.), himself an immigrant from the Dominican Republic who was a green card holder from 1983 to 2000. Rodriguez, claiming that the issue was a matter of “no taxation without representation,” declaring that “the constitution of New York State and the New York City Charter is a live document that provides the opportunity for us to always look to make it better.”
“I think that today we were able to make that important change that recognizes the contributions of immigrants,” Rodriguez added.
Despite concerns raised by some members of the council that the city did not have the right to make such a dramatic legal change entirely on its own, the Democrat majority ultimately forced the measure through anyway. Others, such as Council Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo (D-N.Y.), pointed out that the measure could negatively impact black voters in favor of Hispanic voters.
“Where do African American voters fit in,” Cumbo asked. “This particular legislation is going to shift the power dynamics in New York City in a major way and we do not have the numbers or the information to know how that is going to impact African American communities who have been the most vulnerable in their existence in New York.” Cumbo also expressed concern that illegal aliens might end up voting Republican if given the right to vote.
The new law is set to take effect in January of 2023. New York City is now one of several jurisdictions that allows illegals to vote, alongside San Francisco, two towns in Vermont, and nine cities in Maryland. Similar legislation allowing broader voting access for illegals is being considered in the states of Massachusetts and Illinois, as well as the District of Columbia.
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Eric Lendrum reports for American Greatness.
