Legal immigrants slam noncitizens being given voting rights in DC: 'Undervalues' American citizenship
Immigrants Mike Diaz and Alma Ohene-Opare react to new voting rights in Washington, D.C., granted to groups including undocumented immigrants.
Legal U.S. immigrants are expressing outrage after the Washington, D.C., City Council said its bill to allow noncitizens to vote in local elections is now law.
Immigrants Mike Diaz and Alma Ohene-Opare joined "Fox & Friends First" on Wednesday to voice their opposition to undocumented immigrants being permitted to vote so long as they have resided in D.C. for at least 30 days.
"Why are we devaluing American citizenship?," asked Ohene-Opare, a Ghanaian immigrant who became a U.S. citizen after nearly two decades of living and working in the country.
"What does it mean to be American anymore? Is there anything that differentiates the American citizen from anybody who just comes into this country?"
District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser speaks during a news conference in Washington on Nov. 9, 2022. The city has fought to allow noncitizens to vote in local elections. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
The City Council passed the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act amid criticism from Republicans. Congress had a 30-day review period, during which lawmakers could have pushed to block the legislation.
The review period ended last week, the council said Monday, WAMU reported. The House pushed to block the D.C. law from taking effect, but the Senate ran out of time before the review period ended.
Ohene-Opare questioned Democrats' motives behind the voting changes that are "disenfranchising American citizens."
"I've been here for 18 years or more than 18 years, and I've never seen any concerted effort on the part of legal immigrants to push for this kind of rights," he said. "And so I'm wondering, is there a kind of nefarious purpose behind this?"
Alma Ohene-Opare and his wife swear the Oath of Allegiance and become U.S. citizens. (Fox News Digital)
Diaz, a father of four who lives in California, said he's seen firsthand the left's efforts to change communities by targeting voting laws.
"I was an elected official here in my community, and I've seen some of the efforts that the left has pushed to try to change how we vote and how we change our communities," Diaz said, adding the D.C. legislation should "anger all of us."
"I did it the legal way like many, many have," he said. "And I did that so I could become a productive citizen, but more importantly, to be able to vote.
"It's interesting how when you are given something, you don't respect it the same way you do when you earn it."
Ohene-Opare argued there are many different avenues noncitizens can take to be involved in politics without voting and warned of potential consequences.
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"We're also legalizing foreign interference in our elections, because if you can just come here and 30 days later be able to vote without any allegiance to this country, what are we going to get?," he asked.
"Eventually, the goal is to transform this country fundamentally. And the question is, what exactly are they trying to transform this country into?"
Fox News' Louis Casiano contributed to this report.