A federal judge recently ruled on a lawsuit brought by a conservative legal group challenging a Washington, D.C. law that permits noncitizens, including illegal immigrants and foreign embassy staff, to participate in municipal elections. The lawsuit, filed by U.S. citizen voters represented by the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI), was dismissed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson due to lack of standing.
In her 12-page opinion, Judge Jackson stated that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate how they were personally harmed by noncitizens voting and running for local office. She emphasized that the plaintiffs did not show any denial of voting rights, discrimination, or inequitable treatment compared to another group.
