Deport Illegal Voters Act of 2025: One Voting Mistake Could Now Mean Deportation

The "Deport Illegal Voters Act of 2025" dramatically expands the definition of "aggravated felony" within the Immigration and Nationality Act. The core change? Any violation of federal, state, or local voting laws by a non-citizen now qualifies as an aggravated felony, triggering severe immigration consequences.

Voting Violations: A New 'Aggravated Felony'

This bill directly amends existing immigration law (specifically, the Immigration and Nationality Act) to reclassify all unlawful voting by non-citizens as an aggravated felony. Previously, "aggravated felonies" typically involved serious crimes like murder, drug trafficking, or firearms offenses. Now, any instance of a non-citizen voting where they shouldn't – regardless of the specific rule broken – falls into this category. This includes violations of any "federal, state, or local constitutional provision, statute, ordinance, or regulation" (SEC. 2).

Real-World Impact: Mistakes and Misunderstandings

Consider a scenario: A long-term green card holder, mistakenly believing they're eligible, registers to vote after a confusing interaction at the DMV. Under this new law, that simple error becomes an "aggravated felony." The consequences of this classification are significant, potentially leading to deportation and permanent inadmissibility to the U.S. The bill also explicitly states that any non-citizen who has voted unlawfully is inadmissible to the United States (SEC. 2), creating a lifetime ban for past mistakes.

Unclear Changes and Potential Confusion

The bill removes a specific paragraph (paragraph (6)) related to deportability (SEC. 2). Without more context on what that paragraph covers, it's hard to say exactly what impact this removal will have. It could be a simple cleanup of outdated language, or it could have a more subtle – and potentially significant – effect on how deportation cases are handled.

The Big Picture: Harsher Penalties, Broader Scope

This bill represents a major shift in how immigration law treats voting violations. By equating any unlawful voting by a non-citizen with the most serious crimes, the "Deport Illegal Voters Act of 2025" significantly raises the stakes. While proponents might argue this strengthens election integrity, the practical effect is that even minor or unintentional voting infractions by non-citizens could lead to drastic, life-altering consequences.