Top Republicans, including Donald Trump and his running mate Sen. JD Vance, allege that Democrats are encouraging migrants to enter the U.S. to influence the 2024 election. They claim this influx is to secure votes for Democratic candidates, though evidence shows that migrants newly arrived in the U.S. cannot legally vote.

Despite GOP statements, voting by noncitizens is highly restricted, requiring a lengthy process to obtain citizenship. For instance, asylum seekers must navigate a years-long system before even becoming eligible to apply for citizenship. Most migrants from recent years lack a direct path to permanent residency, let alone citizenship. Only a very small number of recent immigrants may be eligible to vote, such as those who already entered as permanent residents.

There is little documented evidence of noncitizens voting. Studies show that noncitizen voting cases are rare; for example, the Brennan Center found just 30 cases of suspected noncitizen voting in the 2016 election out of 23.5 million ballots cast. The Heritage Foundation identified only 85 such cases from 2002 to 2023.

Nonetheless, prominent GOP figures, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, continue to claim—without evidence—that noncitizen voting is prevalent. While federal law already bans noncitizen voting, penalties for illegal voting are severe, including jail time and deportation.

In sum, while immigration is a heated topic in the 2024 campaign, claims of widespread migrant voting lack supporting data, as voting rights for migrants are tightly controlled and restricted by law