Biden’s DOJ sues Arizona over law to protect citizen-only voting rights

The DOJ alleged in a court complaint filed Tuesday that House Bill 2492 violates the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and would remove thousands of voters from the rolls.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said in a press release, "For nearly three decades, the National Voter Registration Act has helped to move states in the right direction by eliminating unnecessary requirements that have historically made it harder for eligible voters to access the registration rolls.

She added, "Arizona has passed a law that turns the clock back on progress by imposing unlawful and unnecessary requirements that would block eligible voters from the registration rolls for certain federal elections."

The DOJ also claimed in the complaint that the Arizona law also violated a 2013 Supreme Court ruling that the state can't require prospective voters using the federal form from submitting anything than the form requires, such as proof of citizenship.

The US Supreme Court also struck down a 2004 Arizona ballot measure that allowed officials to ask for proof of citizenship for anyone registering to vote.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed HB 2492 into law in March and it is scheduled to go into effect in Jan. 1, 2023. At the time, the governor said the law would prohibit "any attempt to illegally cast a vote," and called it a "balanced approach that honors Arizona’s history of making voting accessible without sacrificing security in our elections."

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said in a statement to Fox News that he intends to fight the lawsuit. "In addition to free rooms and transportation for those illegally entering our country, the DOJ now wants to give them a chance to vote. It’s another round of Brnovich v. Biden. I will once again be in court defending Arizona against the lawlessness of the Biden administration."