Arizona's new voting laws that require proof of citizenship are not discriminatory, a US judge rules

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: ABC News/AP

March 1, 2024, 12:17 AM


PHOENIX -- A federal judge is upholding provisions of new Arizona laws that would require counties to verify the status of registered voters who haven’t provided proof of U.S. citizenship and cross-check voter registration information with various government databases.

In a ruling Thursday, U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton concluded Arizona legislators did not discriminate when they adopted the laws and the state does have an interest in preventing voter fraud and limiting voting to those individuals eligible to vote.

“Considering the evidence as a whole, the court concludes that Arizona’s interests in preventing non-citizens from voting and promoting public confidence in Arizona’s elections outweighs the limited burden voters might encounter when required to provide (documentary proof of citizenship),” she wrote.

However, Bolton said the requirement for individuals using a state registration form to include their state or country of birth violates a provision of the Civil Rights Act and a section of the National Voter Registration Act. Doing so, she explained, would result in the investigation of only naturalized citizens based on county recorders’ subjective beliefs that a naturalized individual is a non-citizen.

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/arizonas-new-voting-laws-require-proof-citizenship-discriminatory-107706570

[Ford_Prefect]

1. An experienced Judge appointed by Clinton.

2010 Arizona immigration law cases
In July 2010, Bolton heard arguments on three of seven lawsuits related to the Arizona SB 1070 immigration law, including United States v. Arizona.[5][6]

On Wednesday, July 28, 2010, Bolton issued a ruling blocking small portions of SB 1070, writing that "requiring police to check the immigration status of those they arrest or whom they stop and suspect are in the country illegally would overwhelm the federal government's ability to respond, and could mean legal immigrants are wrongly arrested."[7] Judge Bolton wrote: "Federal resources will be taxed and diverted from federal enforcement priorities as a result of the increase in requests for immigration status determination that will flow from Arizona."[7]

On September 5, 2012, Judge Bolton cleared the way for police to carry out the 2010 law's requirement that officers, while enforcing other laws, may question the immigration status of those they suspect are in the country illegally. This part of the law has been called the "show me your papers" provision.[8]

On July 31, 2017, Judge Bolton filed her "Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law" holding former Maricopa County sheriff Joe Arpaio in criminal contempt of court for violating an injunction.[9] President Trump pardoned Arpaio on August 25, 2017, though Judge Bolton declined to erase the conviction,[10] ruling that the pardon spared Arpaio from sentencing but did not change the facts or the record of the case. This ruling was upheld on appeal.[11]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_R._Bolton