Democratic Congresswoman Becca Balint, identified with the
liberal wing of her party and an outspoken critic of the SAVE Act, sparked
controversy with statements addressing the issue of non-citizen voting in the
United States.
During her remarks, Balint maintained that the central aim
of this legislative initiative is to prevent illegal voting by people without
U.S. citizenship. However, when discussing the issue, she indicated that such
cases would represent—in her view—a “tiny” proportion of the electorate, an
argument she used to question the necessity and scope of the proposal.
She stated: “The main premise of the SAVE Act is to prevent
people from voting illegally. People who are not citizens. But we know that
it's a tiny number of people...”
His words have been interpreted in various ways in the
public debate. While critics believe his statements imply an acknowledgment of
irregular voting by undocumented immigrants, his supporters maintain that his
intention was to emphasize that, although isolated incidents may exist,
recognizing that undocumented immigrants do indeed vote, these do not represent
a widespread phenomenon that justifies more restrictive reforms.
The exchange once again places the issue of electoral
integrity, voter registration regulations, and the scope of measures aimed at
preventing fraud at the center of the national discussion, in a highly
polarized political context where citizens constantly advocate for a system
where only undocumented immigrants can vote, as in a true democracy.