The American Identity: Should We Allow Non-Citizens To Vote?

By C.N. Le

In my first post, I would like to discuss an issue in which I have both an academic and a personal interest:  the question of who qualifies to be an "American."  The question is of particular interest to me because I am a Vietnamese refugee. I came to the U.S. at the age of five and since then have traveled down the winding road of assimilation, ethnic identity, and social segregation.

A recent article in the Christian Science Monitor caught my attention. In many locales around the country, there is a small but growing movement to extend the right to vote to non-citizen immigrants.  Of course, one of the basic benefits of being a U.S. citizen is the privilege of being able to vote in elections.  Perhaps not surprisingly, these proposals have evoked strong opinions on both sides.

Supporters argue that non-citizens are long-term residents who care about the same kinds of local issues that all citizens do: good schools, safe streets, reliable trash collection. Many pay taxes. Some are US military veterans. "They're living there, they have their kids in school, they're working, they're contributing to the local economy," says Kathleen Coll, a cultural anthropologist at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif. "They're full, complete local citizens [who are] affected by local policies."

Some advocates want to limit voting rights to legal immigrants who intend to become citizens but haven't completed the process. Because naturalization takes on average eight years, the Migration Policy Institute reports, parents could see their 10-year-old graduate from high school before they have a say in the public school system.

But enfranchising non-citizens would unfairly dilute the strength of citizens' votes, says one critic, Steve Cameron, director of research at the Washington-based Center for Immigration Studies. For opponents, the practice is just another step in accommodating unnecessary --and sometimes unlawful -- immigrants.

The debate around the merits of immigration -- legal and illegal-- is still raging in this country.  As I've posted on several times on my personal blog, I strongly support the rights of both legal and illegal immigrants. Academic research has shown quite convincingly that legal immigrants contribute significant benefits to American society, culture, and economy.

When it comes to measuring the societal impact of illegal immigrants, the data is more of a mixed bag.  While valid empirical evidence exists on both sides, the prevailing academic consensus is that taken as a whole, the presence of illegal immigrants results in more benefits than costs for American society. However, there are two very important caveats.

First, such benefits are most evident at the national level. However, states such as California, Texas, and Arizona, as well as large cities that contain the largest numbers of illegal immigrants usually have to bear a disproportionate share of the significant costs involved with illegal immigration (costs that include.social services, medical care, and education). The second caveat is that illegal immigrants may also have a slight negative effect on the wages of low-skilled workers, as they are generally willing to work for less money than native-born Americans will.

Nonetheless, taken as a whole, the bulk of the sociological and economic research argues that illegal immigration produces more benefits to American society than costs. The overwhelmingly positive impact of legal immigrants forms the basis for my strong support for the economic, legal, and voting rights of immigrants. 

As the Christian Science Monitor article argues, the most important factor in deciding who gets to vote should be whether a person contributes to the cultural, political, and economic strength of the country, not whether a person happens to have been born inside the U.S. If someone who avoids paying taxes, has no sense of civic duty, and engages in criminal activity, but happens to be born in the U.S. has a right to vote, shouldn't a non-citizen legal immigrant who pays taxes, obeys the law, and is actively involved in his or her community have that right?

To paraphrase the great Martin Luther King, Jr., what should matter is not the country in which you were born, but your deeds and actions while living in that country.

Comments

[Amanda Larsen]

I would think that allowing the illegal immigrants the right to vote would change things up quite a bit especially with the things that would effect them directly. And thus, would eventually has a snow ball effect on our economy and effect each of us indiviually. Whether we see it in our school systems or in our working industry to our taxes. I don't think allowing non citizens to vote is fair towards the American Citizens I think that you should be a citizen in order to vote for American affairs.

[Ahmed Al-Muhairi]

Before reading your article, I said to myself "of course non-citizens should not have the right to vote." After reading your article, my prejudice has been dispelled, I now lie somewhere in the grey. Nevertheless, my intuition tells me that granting non-citizens the right to vote would devalue both American citizenship and the right to vote. The 5-8 year period it takes for naturalization seems a necessary control to preserve the integrity of the right to vote. While it does have drawbacks, at least it reserves voting rights for those non-citizen immigrants who exhibited the dedication to go through the naturalization process. How many would even bother to go through it, if non-citizens could vote? Admitted this viewpoint is based on speculation, with no evidence to speak of, which is why I lay in the grey.

On a separate note, you must avoid false premises when blogging or else, more technical debaters will pick you apart. I chose not to do so because you made a very compelling argument that shouldn't be shunned based on a non-related slip-up. That is more the style of a politician, not a sociologist. ;)

"If someone who avoids paying taxes, has no sense of civic duty, and engages in criminal activity, but happens to be born in the U.S. has a right to vote, shouldn't a non-citizen legal immigrant who pays taxes, obeys the law, and is actively involved in his or her community have that right?"

This is the weakest passage in the blog. Without trying to decimate it, I will provide a modest refutation. Using the DEA as my source, Vietnamese organized crime groups are dominating high-grade marijuana (including smuggling from Vancouver) and ecstasy operations (including manufacturing) on the West coast. Their influence is beginning to make an impact nationwide, especially in those cities where Vietnamese populations are strong.

So much for the image, of innocent law-abiding citizens upholding civic duties, paying taxes and obeying the law. There are criminals and scoundrels aplenty on both sides of the fence, and if an American citizen gets caught doing some serious criminal activity he will LOSE his right to vote. Therefore, including that "point" in your argument, supplies your detractors with a refutation. Be careful.

[jorden durham]

i do not think that non citizens should be allowed to vote. they should not be able to make any decisions on our future. since it will not affect them in the long run because they are not citizens of the U.S. it would not be fair to the rest of us who are citizens.

[Tas Pugh]

If you are not a citizen, you have no right to vote. If you are becoming a U.S. citizen you have no right to vote, until you become a citizen, then you have earned a right to vote.
If you are here in this country illegally, you are a criminal. You really don't have a right to vote.

[Nephtali Pintor]

I could relate to this blog from a personal experience and knowledge. My family and I were born in Mexico and my parents immigrated to the U.S. when I was 4 years of age. I could remember crossing the border on one of my uncle’s shoulder. My mom always looking for a job and willing to work for less that minimum wage and always trying to give me and my sister a better life. The rest of my family such as uncles and aunts and even my grandparents did the same. Some of them got into trouble for not knowing many of the laws that where different than the ones in their country. It was very harsh for everyone to adapt to a “new world.”
Ever since I could remember my family has been trying to become residents of the United States but failed in various occasions. Many times they have been scammed for a deal of money and only lured in by the hope of becoming residents of this country. I could remember the day they actually thought they were becoming legal residents but then found out their “lawyer” just cheated them out of their money and was no were to be found. Tears dripping down every single one of their cheeks, pleading to God: “why does this happen to us?” Many of them gave up after this incident and stopped hoping. They always fear the fact that a new law may be passed and they will loose their jobs and get deported. Why can’t any of them vote on their right to live a civil life? They can’t have the voting right on anything that surely affects them. This blog is very interesting for me and most of all personal.

[jane]

This article got me thinking about who has the right to vote and why they have the right to vote. I think that if immigrants voted it would differently change things up. While I do not think those who are not citizens should vote I do think that it should be easier to become a U.S. citizen. If the people abide the law, pay taxes and participate in their community it should be easier to become a citizen.

[Anthony]

Voting is very over rated. Your vote does not actually matter. The electoral college is what matters. i.e. Gore had more votes than Bush, but he still lost? The government is so corrupt that I do not know where to begin. Non-citizens and aliens are given everything by the government anyway, so why not just give them the right to vote too, its not like it means anything?

[Mark Yasaitis]

Looking at this issue from a purely citizen viewpoint, no, non-citizens should not have the right to vote in this country. Many Americans have given their lives to defend the freedoms we enjoy as a citizen. To give the non-citizen the vote would only serve to strengthen the cause of the illegal alien and the undeserving now draining our countries resources an unwarranted voice that they have not earned nor do they deserve. Actually, as an American Veteran I am appalled that anyone would even think of such a farse. I am patriotic American, a decendent of European immigrants. My ancestors weren't allowed to vote until their citizenship was granted, so it should stay that way. I also feel the English should be designated as our national language and that all bi-lingual education be stopped as well. If you want to live in America then get your citizenship, learn the language and become an American like the rest of us. Until you are a citizen you don't have the right to even speak out. We have immigration laws in effect, abide by them or go someplace else.

[Melanie Wilkerson]

I have no problem with law abiding, tax paying citizens to be allowed to vote no matter where they are born. The problem I have are those who don't pay taxes but yet get free government benefits that we tax payers have to pay for.

[Candice Yeomans]

I feel that in order to vote you must have completed all requirements to become a US citizen. The laws are put into place for a reason and all parties should adhere to them before being given the right to vote.

[Jordan Lynch]

If we allow non-citizens to vote, what else will we allow them to do? A benefit from allowing them to vote could be that more American citizens would actually vote. If they saw that other people such as non citizens were voting then they would want to get involved also.

The author supports both illegal and legal citizens, and he questions what really makes you an American citizen.

My position on this topic is that they should be an American citizen before they have the right to vote. I don't think that its fair to those who had to wait to officially become a U.S citizen and to Americans. Its a previlage to have and you must earn it in order to use it.

[Kim]

The obvious solution to the problem would be to shorten the naturalization process. This would give non-citizens who deserve the right to vote the opportunity to do so in a timely fashion.

[Caitlin Pryski]

My opinion on if non-citizens should be able to vote goes both ways. While I do not think that it is appropriate for someone who is not "really" a citizen of a country to be able to vote for the future of that country, I also do not think it is right that non law-abiding CITIZENS should vote. So, if a non-citizen is law-abiding, legally works and is patriotic towards whatever country he or she is living in I see no problem with him or her having a say-so in the future of the country.

[Aressa Blackmon]

In my opinion non citizens should not have the right to vote because they are not part of our country. Yes it is true that every vote counts. If the human becomes a citzen of the US then yes I think they should be able to vote because what we American citzens pick does affect others that live in our country rather legal or illegal.

[Reason]

It is a challenge to become a US citizen, but I consider it a choice made by the individual. We as US citizens had no choice; born and bred in the US, we are bound by our constitution and laws decided on by our elected officials. Educating the individual in order to help them understand the laws would be a positive contribution, but doesn’t give them the right to vote unless they meet all the criteria. It is then a choice of the individual, if they truly want to become a US citizen in order to vote. Paying taxes is a totally different section. We all pay taxes which are inevitable and most of the laws that pertain to taxes are distributed equally to all individuals. Paying taxes should not have any bearing on citizenship. Taxes are based on the geographic location and if you are in the US, Japan, Russia, or Mexico; you will adhere to the tax laws of those countries. Voting in other countries is set aside in their bylaws or maybe not allowed at all. All countries have bylaws which are administered to the people equally. It is no different in the US. I do believe that hiring immigrant workers should be done legally but they need to pay their dues in order to stay in the US. Allowing non-citizens to vote would allow no-conformist to administer our culture. Non-citizens overriding a citizen’s decision, get real! They should have to earn the right of citizenship. If you give non-citizens the right to vote and citizenship freely, that freedom would open Pandora’s Box.

[Britney Barrettt]

Since technically no one is "from" the United States anyone who works or benefits the US in any kind of way should be able to vote. America is suppose to be the land opportunity. If immigrants are welcome they should be able to do just as much as US citizens.

[Jessica Russ]

Non-Citizens should not be allowed to vote. As Americans we would not be allowed to go into another country and vote unless we went through the process of becoming a citizen to their country. The same should go for non-citizens in this country. If someone really wanted the right to vote they would do what is needed to become a citizen. It seems alot of people are confusing an immigrant with a non-citizen. An immigrant can be a citizen of the US if they have went through the required process. I don't think you should have to be born in the US, but yes you should be a citizen.

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000259315178]

Non-Citizens should be allowed to vote. As law biding, tax paying individuals everyone should be afforded the oppertunity to give input on the things that affect their daily lives. Most non-citizens that are lawfully present already serve in the military and in some states vote at the local level, which I think is an great idea. If these non-citizens are lawfuly, present, paying taxes, and serving in our U.S military, why shouldnt they have a say on the things that affect them directly? I think they should be allowed to vote in school board elections, because everyone needs to have some say in the things that influence their children lives and education. In some cases I see that most people have made comments about voting being a privilege of a U.S citizen, but is it really? Being an African American I have studied and been informed of the many trials and battles African American people had to got through to get rights to vote in the U.S., while being U.S citizens, so is voting based on citizenship, or is it that we dread change, or feel that a certain group of people is inferior to the other and for that reason limit what indiviuals can do in this country. Then there are other individuals who believe non-citizens should pay taxes because, if American citizens were to go to another country then they would have to pay taxes. This is very true, but the U.S also will make you pay taxes as well. So you are living somewhere else paying taxes there, but you are also obligated to pay taxes in the United States. Is this fair? No it is not, and neither is limiting individuals rights as human beings to express how they feel about the aspects of their life and how they are being treated. As citizens, non-ctizens, voters, or whatever we all share on thing and that is human rights, something we are all entitled to.

[lisa weaver]

I don't believe Non-citizens should have the right to vote. I feel that they may not care as deeply about a issue because they are not u.s citizens and the issue may not even affect them.

[Kayla Eldridge]

I do not believe that illegal immigrants should have the right to vote. While I do feel very emapathetic towards those in our country who truly want to be US citizens and do everything possible to be productive and useful in their communities, I feel as though the right to vote is a gift FOR United States citizens. All persons, aside from white males, in this country have had to fight for their right to vote and eventually won, but all of these "groups" were American citizens. If a person, or a group of people feel so strongly about having the right to vote, perhaps they should rally with LEGAL US citizens to get the naturalization laws changed, rather than changing the voting policy.

[Brandie Hiser]

I read the article about non-citizen rights with an open mind thinking that maybe my opinion would be swayed. I still feel that non-citizens should not be allowed voter rights. Yes, many of the " non-citizens" have the same concerns for safety, education, ect. I believe until a person becomes a citizen he/she should not be given the rights so many others had to fight for.

[Tiffany Straub]

For centuries the proud ability to vote on anything in this country has been a gift only given to its citizens and I truly believe it should still be the way things are, what is the point of becoming an American Citizen if you're an immigrant and you have the right to vote just as everyone else does? The pride American's take in their singular vote wouldn't hold the same meaning. If you wish to have your say and vote because you are living and working in the states, they why not become a citizen? My mother just became a U.S. Citizen within the last two years and was very proud to make her first vote. I do believe it only took her two years to become a citizen, so I'm not sure why it takes 8 for others, but something does need to be done about that as far as those who are wishing to be citizens and having to wait so long.

[David]

I agree.

[b.mink]

My opinion about this is that non-citizens should be allowed to vote. this is a great discussion because it just got me to start thinking about things that normally i dont really think about. I feel that if a person is a law abiding citizen, works, pays taxes and does everything else that a actual citizen does, then why shouldnt they have that right?I think everyone citizen or non-citizen should be allowed to vote!Especially when it is something like voting, something that is going to have a significant and direct effect on the non-citizens day to day life and community.besides all of that, look at how long some of these non-citizens are having to wait in order to finally get the citizenship status here in the u.s.When a non-citizen takes on all the same day to day things that citizens do, then they should all be equally allowed to vote for any election that will effect or impact their lives.

[J. Sellars]

I feel that only citizens should be allowed to vote. If voting is that important of a right to them, then they need to take the steps necessary in order to be able to vote.