Harris-Trump showdown: Where they stand on this top issue for voters
As the 2024 presidential election looms, immigration and border security have repeatedly been cited by voters as a top issue — but where do Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump stand on securing the border? Former President Trump made cracking down on illegal immigration his breakout issue in 2016, calling for a massive wall at the southern border and promising a tougher stance against Mexico. With a massive migrant crisis at the southern border, which exploded under the Biden administration, Trump again made the issue one of his top focuses on the 2024 campaign trail. He has promised to finish the wall, over 450 miles of which were built during his administration. He has also promised to launch the “largest domestic deportation operation in American history” to deport millions of illegal immigrants. TRUMP SAYS HE WILL CARRY OUT THE ‘LARGEST DOMESTIC DEPORTATION OPERATION IN AMERICAN HISTORY’ IF ELECTED He has also pledged to terminate “every open borders policy of the Biden administration.” On the issue of migrant crime, he has said he will invoke the Alien Enemies Act to remove gang members, drug dealers and others to end the “scourge of illegal alien gang violence once and for all.” “I’m announcing today that upon taking office, we will have an operation Aurora at the federal level to expedite the removals of these savage gangs, and I will invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. Think of that, 1798. This was put there, 1790. Yeah, that’s a long time ago. Right?” Trump said last month. “To target and dismantle every migrant criminal network operating on American soil.” Meanwhile, he has looked to go beyond illegal immigration and also shut down migrant parole policies that have been used by the Biden administration to bring in hundreds of thousands of migrants via humanitarian parole. “They use a little technicality so we don’t call ’em, but that to me, that’s illegal,” he said Monday of the parole processes for Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela. It would likely involve the limiting of the CBP One app, which was expanded by the Biden administration to allow migrants to make appointments on the app at ports of entry. A Trump administration would also likely seek to restore the 2019 Remain-in-Mexico policy and bring back down the number of refugee admissions. On Monday, he announced an additional policy, promising to slap a 25% tariff on incoming goods from Mexico. “I’m going to inform [the Mexican president] on day one or sooner that if they don’t stop this onslaught of criminals and drugs coming into our country, I’m going to immediately impose a 25% tariff on everything they send into the United States of America,” he said. Border security has been a thorny topic for Vice President Harris, who was given the nickname of “border czar” by the media and some critics when she was given the assignment of leading diplomacy to tackle root causes of migration in early 2021. In that role, she visited Mexico, Guatemala and El Paso, Texas. Recently, she visited Arizona as part of her presidential campaign. Her office has touted a project to rally private-sector investment in the region via a call to action that has seen more than $5.2 billion committed since May 2021 from over 50 companies and organizations to tackle root causes. She has also been dogged by her past of more radical stances when serving as a California senator and 2020 presidential candidate, including a promise to end government contracts with private prisons and decriminalize illegal crossings. A Harris campaign adviser told Fox that her positions have been “shaped by three years of effective governance as part of the Biden-Harris administration.” KAMALA HARRIS AND THE SOUTHERN BORDER CRISIS: A TIMELINE But as she has sought to present herself as the candidate best suited to handle the border crisis, she has emphasized her past as a prosecutor going after transnational criminal organizations. “As Attorney General of California, Vice President Harris went after international drug gangs, human traffickers and cartels that smuggled guns, drugs, and human beings across the U.S.-Mexico border. She has also repeatedly hammered Trump over his alleged role in torpedoing a bipartisan border security bill that was introduced in the Senate in January, accusing him of having “killed the border deal for his political gain.” That bill, which failed to pick up enough support to pass the chamber, would have provided additional funding to the border, including for 1,500 new Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel, over 4,300 new asylum officers, 1,200 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel and 100 new immigration judge teams. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS It also included an emergency authority to allow officials to shut down entries at the southern border when they reach a certain level — but conservatives say it would solidify high levels of illegal immigration. The bill would also expedite work permits for migrants released into the interior and tighten language for credible fear screenings into the U.S. Harris has said she will sign the bill if it is passed when she is president. However, she has also retained her support for a 2021 bill introduced by the Biden administration, which includes a massive amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants. She has reiterated that she still wishes to see a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants passed if she is elected to the White House. “We need a comprehensive plan,” Harris said in September. “That includes what we need to do to fortify not only our border but deal with the fact that we also need to create pathways for people to earn citizenship.”
‘Trojan horse’ amendment could allow illegals to vote, New York experts say
New York conservatives are warning that New York’s Proposition 1 on the ballot today is a “Trojan horse” to enshrine an array of abuses into the state constitution, including allowing illegal immigrants to vote. Those in favor of the proposition say it is necessary to protect abortion rights in the state. However, opponents say it has nothing to do with abortion, which they say is already protected by New York law. “It’s being portrayed as necessary to protect abortion rights, but that’s false,” John Faso, an attorney and former New York state representative, told Fox News Digital. “Abortion was legalized in New York State by the legislature in 1970, 54 years ago. And it’s not under any threat whatsoever, regardless of what your position is on it.” NY BALLOT INITIATIVE COULD BLOCK PARENTS FROM SAY IN CHILD’S TRANS SURGERY, CRITICS WARN IN FIERY CAMPAIGN Abortion is currently legal in New York through 24 weeks of pregnancy. After 24 weeks, a woman can still obtain an abortion if her medical provider decides the unborn baby is not viable or the woman’s life or physical or mental health is at risk. According to information on the website for New York Attorney General Letitia James, “people of all ages have the absolute right to abortion” in New York. Faso said that “to argue that somehow abortion rights are at risk in New York State is just a complete lie.” If passed, the proposition would amend the state constitution to prohibit any discrimination based on ethnicity, national origin, age, disability and sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive health care and autonomy. HUNDREDS OF NEW YORK TIMES TECH STAFFERS GO ON STRIKE AHEAD OF ELECTION DAY Proponents say the amendment will protect all New Yorkers against unequal treatment. Faso, however, said that under this amendment, biological males will have a constitutional right to participate in girls’ sports and parents will no longer be able to fully control the health care decisions for their minor children. He also pointed to a portion of the amendment that states that authorities can enact “laws to prevent or undo past discrimination.” He called this a “reverse discrimination provision” that he said would authorize the state to engage in discrimination programs on the pretext of prior discrimination. “So, we can discriminate against you because years ago [someone] discriminated against someone,” he said. “These kinds of things make no sense. They’re highly controversial, and they’re trying to sneak this into the state constitution without really much public awareness about what’s contained here in this amendment.” Perhaps most shocking of all, Faso said that because of the inclusion of national origin as a constitutionally protected class, the amendment could be used to allow noncitizens, including illegal immigrants, to vote. “Noncitizen voting could become a reality because the argument will be it’s discriminatory based on my national origin that I shouldn’t have a right to vote even though I’m not a citizen,” he explained. Bobbie Anne Cox, an attorney who serves as the spokesperson for a ballot initiative committee called “Vote No on Prop One,” told Fox News Digital that the amendment “opens the door for all of these benefits to be given to these people that are not citizens, are not from our country and some of whom are here illegally.” “When I say this is a Trojan horse, it is a Trojan horse of epic proportions,” she said. Cox also called the proposition a “bait and switch” because she said the language on the ballot does not match the actual amendment. “The language that would go into our Constitution is not on the ballot. What New Yorkers will see on the ballot is a two-sentence summary of the proposal, and that summary is not all-encompassing. It doesn’t tell you the whole story,” she said. “This is a tremendous power grab by the government in New York State,” she went on. “It really upsets me that they are not being honest with the New York voters.” Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Trump rallies in Pennsylvania city with highest Hispanic population hours before polls open
Just over a week after a comic’s joke about Puerto Rico being an “island of garbage” at a Trump rally attracted days of negative media attention, the former president held another rally in Reading, Pennsylvania, an area rich with Latino pride. Pennsylvania’s fourth-largest city was historically the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country, but has in recent decades become home to the highest proportion of Hispanics in the commonwealth. A 2021 report by the Reading Eagle estimated about two-thirds identify as such. During the Monday rally, Trump invited Patty Morin onstage. Morin’s daughter Rachel was raped and murdered in 2023 by a Salvadoran illegal immigrant wanted for murder in his home country. Morin told the crowd everyone in her town loved Rachel, and credited Trump with the proverb, “When the righteous man reigns, the people rejoice.” LIBERTY BELLWETHERS: FIVE COUNTIES IN PENNSYLVANIA TO WATCH Rachel Morin was murdered in 2023 when Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez encountered her on a jogging path in Harford County, Maryland. Before Trump took the stage, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., offered a speech partially in Spanish — remarking he never likes the media’s translation. In Spanish, or dialectically “Cuban,” as the lawmaker joked, Rubio encouraged voters to come out for Trump on Tuesday and laid out a positive vision for the mogul’s second term. Trump later asked the crowd the same question Ronald Reagan had: “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” PENNSYLVANIA LEADERS TALK ‘EXCITING’ GROUND GAME ON BOTH SIDES, AS GOP SEEKS TO UNDO DEM GAINS “You built this country; you’re going to save this country too,” he said. “The ball is in our hand, it’s at the two-yard line, maybe the one-yard line.” “Tomorrow, you have to stand up and tell Kamala you’ve had enough… ‘You’re the most incompetent vice president we’ve ever had… Kamala you’re fired — get the hell out of here,’” he boomed. Trump said Harris orchestrated the “biggest betrayal” of the American people, before referring to the U.S. as an “occupied country” due to illegal immigration. Trump also reserved criticism for Sen. Bob Casey, Jr., D-Pa., after inviting challenger David McCormick to speak. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Trump characterized Casey — in office since defeating Sen. Rick Santorum in 2006 — as a two-decade “survivor” who accomplished little other than retaining his job in Congress. He appeared to suggest Casey simply followed his namesake father’s coattails into office. The elder Casey, of Casey v. Planned Parenthood fame, was governor from 1987-1995.
Fox News Politics: Just one more sleep ’til Election Day
Happy Election Eve! Welcome to the Fox News’ Politics newsletter, with the latest political news from Washington, D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail. HOW TO WATCH: Tune-in on Election Night for special Democracy ’24 election coverage. Here’s what’s happening… – Iowa poll shows Democrats in a position to flip 2 GOP House seats – On Election Eve, Harris and Trump hold dueling rallies in the biggest of the battlegrounds – Eight states will vote on measures that would explicitly ban noncitizens from voting Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, has suggested that if Democrats sweep the 2024 elections, they will control the nation for a century. He predicted that if Democrats win both chambers of Congress and the White House, they will eliminate the filibuster in the Senate, add justices to the U.S. Supreme Court, grant Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico statehood, and establish federal control over elections, redistricting, and campaigns. “Day 1: Nuke the filibuster,” Lee wrote on X. “Day 2: Pack SCOTUS. Day 3: Make DC & PR states. Day 4: Enact federal takeover of elections/redistricting/campaigns. Days 5 – 36,500: Rule America uncontested for 100 years.”…Read more WHERE’S JOE?: First Lady stumps in key battleground state while Biden remains absent from the campaign trail…Read more ‘AMERICA, YOU OWE US’: Harris’ radical pastor could be key player in reparations push if she becomes president…Read more ‘ANOTHER FAILURE’: VP Harris ripped by sheriff for refusing to reveal her vote on anti-crime measure in home state…Read more GAFFE TRAIL: Biden absent from campaign trail in home state after viral ‘smack’ gaffe…Read more BATTLE FOR THE GAVEL: NRCC chair reveals the two most crucial states in the race for the House majority…Read more ‘WHAT A DISGRACE’: Trump taunts McConnell’s endorsement as GOP Senate leader race looms…Read more MIXED SIGNALS: Schumer suggests Nebraska independent candidate would caucus with Democrats…Read more ‘DECREPIT, CORRUPT’: Trump campaign blasts Pelosi as ‘corrupt’ and ‘decrepit’ after she claims Trump’s brain is ‘deteriorating’…Read more CRUZ ON OFFENSE: Texas senators slams Mitch McConnell as ‘one-man dictator’ after Super PAC abandons him in tight reelection race…Read more BEHIND-THE-SCENES BATTLES: Legal challenges that could impact the vote before Election Day begins…Read more ‘PAINSTAKING PROCESS’: Pa. county gives update on probe of suspicious batch of voter formsairs…Read more THE WORLD IS WATCHING: What do Latin Americans, Europeans think about Donald Trump, Kamala Harris?…Read more ‘DO NOT VOTE FOR ME’: RFK Jr., on eve of Election Day, tells voters ‘do NOT vote for me’…Read more CONSPICUOUS ABSENCE: Harris didn’t mention Trump’s name during rally for first time as candidate…Read more ‘EXPANDING THE MAP’: Trump campaign ‘expanding the map,’ Vance says in New Hampshire…Read more EARLY VOTING SURGE: Over 77M voters have cast ballots in 2024 election…Read more HOWARD KURTZ: Trump camp confident, while Black leaders say Harris is struggling…Read more THIRD TIME’S A CHARM: Trump to continue swing state tradition in final campaign event of 2024….Read more FREQUENT FLYERS: Trump, Harris have visited these states the most heading into Election Day…Read more CHANGING RACE: Harris’ late surge in betting odds fueled by outlier poll, but Trump still ‘slightly favored’…Read more WHERE THE RACE STANDS: Harris leads Trump by 4 nationally as both candidates narrow gender gap, poll finds…Read more DEMOCRACY ’24: Alaska, Iowa, Montana, 7 other states end early in-person voting on Monday…Read more ‘DOESN’T SEEM TO GET IT’: Missouri Republicans launch suit to ban feds from monitoring polling sites…Read more NORTH CAROLINA SHOWDOWN: Trump leads Harris by 2% in North Carolina heading into Election Day, poll finds…Read more ‘COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS’: Government, private businesses erect barricades in preparation for Election Day…Read more THROWING HANDS: Head of US Central Command being investigated for getting physical with an airman on plane to Israel…Read more LIBERTY BELLWETHERS: Five Pennsylvania counties to watch on election night…Read more ‘ONSLAUGHT OF CRIMINALS’: Trump threatens a 25% tariff on Mexico if illegal border crossings don’t stop…Read more There will be no Fox News Politics newsletter tomorrow due to our ongoing election coverage. Check in here for Election Night special coverage for the 2024 US Presidential election. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Biden-Harris EPA funding ‘radical, left-leaning’ environmental groups calling to end fossil fuels: report
The Biden-Harris administration is being put on blast for giving billions of taxpayer dollars to fund “radical, left-leaning” environmental groups that seek to eradicate fossil fuels, according to a new House report. The House Energy and Commerce Committee dropped a report “exposing the green group giveaway” by the Biden administration on Monday, breaking down the Environmental Protection Agency’s funding for environmental and climate justice grants. The EPA received $41 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), legislation signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2022. The agency allocated $2.8 billion from the funds to be managed by the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR), which, according to the report, is “using taxpayer dollars to promote the Biden-Harris radical energy agenda.” “The Biden-Harris administration is seemingly using environmental justice grants to funnel public funds towards organizations that promote its policies and galvanize political support for its actions,” the report reads. “Enriching nonprofit organizations to spread radical, left-leaning ideology is an inappropriate use of taxpayer dollars. These programs demand rigorous scrutiny and meticulous oversight.” TRUCKING GROUPS, FARMERS FILE OPENING BRIEF IN LAWSUIT AGAINST EPA: ‘UNWORKABLE MANDATE’ The EPA reportedly funneled the money out to several different environmental groups actively advocating for a rapid transition to green energy. About $50 million was awarded to the Climate Justice Alliance, a group which has called for ending the use of fossil fuels. The group is “engaged in local, state and national work on a wide range of issues from racial justice, energy democracy, food sovereignty, and zero waste.” The CJA also focuses on the “social, racial, economic and environmental justice issues of climate change,” according to their website. Another funding recipient is the Delaware Valley Citizens Council for Clean Air, who want to “phase out fracking,” “make biking, walking, transit, and electric vehicles the primary” sources of transportation, and prioritize ending pollution in “environmental justice communities.” The Southern Poverty Law Center said they are “working with Congress and the Biden administration to ensure a permanent ban on offshore drilling.” SUPREME COURT TO ALLOW BIDEN ADMIN POWER PLANT CLIMATE STANDARDS TO REMAIN IN PLACE – FOR NOW Another group, BlocPower, works to “decarbonize buildings by replacing fossil fuel-burning appliances with modern, all-electric equipment.” About $10 million was also awarded to West Harlem Environmental Action, Incorporated (WE ACT), which is prioritizing “fighting liquified natural gas and false solution infrastructure.” “These policy priorities frequently mirror the radical rush-to-green energy policies that the Biden-Harris administration has pushed,” the report reads. “Some of these selectees promote clear political positions and ideologies, despite claiming to be nonpartisan. Some have embraced obstructionist tactics to undermine energy projects and industries they oppose.” The report also raised concerns over the agency’s ability to properly manage billions of dollars and prevent the misuse of funds. Additionally, concerns were raised over the “vague or open-ended description” of how the groups can use the funds. The taxpayer-funded grants given to these groups can be used for “public outreach” or “public education.” The report claims that this allows the groups to participate in something “akin to a taxpayer-funded lobbying operation” as they are given space to “influence public and elected officials to adopt their often-extreme views.” The EPA responded to the report in a statement shared with Fox News Digital. “All eligible applications submitted for EPA funding go through a rigorous competitive process,” the EPA said. “EPA takes program integrity very seriously and will continue delivering on the Biden-Harris Administration’s environmental justice goals in a robust and transparent manner. EPA has multiple safeguards in place to ensure grant activities are fully compliant with grant commitments and the laws Congress has directed EPA to implement.”
Here’s what you need to know when polls close in battleground states on Election Day
When the polls officially open across the country on Election Day, residents who have yet to cast their votes in the seven key swing states are allowed different times when they can visit a polling place. Each swing state also has a different process for when they are allowed to start counting votes, whether that be prior to or on Election Day, a major factor in the time it takes for results to be finalized. The polls will open at 6 a.m. MST on Tuesday in the Grand Canyon State. Voters will have until 7 p.m. to cast their ballots, according to the Arizona secretary of state. REPUBLICANS CUT INTO DEM VOTER REGISTRATION ADVANTAGE IN CRUCIAL SWING STATE AS EARLY VOTE WRAPS UP Ballots cast before Election Day can immediately be counted by election officials upon when they are received in an effort to help speed up the voting process. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. EST. However, those in line by 7 p.m. can still cast their ballots. Election officials can begin processing ballots during the state’s early voting period. Voters in Nevada will have from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to cast their ballots on Election Day. THE KEY TO VICTORY IN BATTLEGROUND STATES COULD LIE IN THE ‘MARGINS,’ NATIONAL REVIEW EDITOR-IN-CHIEF SAYS Nevada election officials can start counting ballots 15 days before Election Day. However, ballots postmarked on Election Day can be counted four days after the election on Nov. 5, which could draw out the state’s voting process. Voters in the Old North State can visit polling places from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. EST on Election Day. Election officials cannot start officially tabulating ballots until Nov. 5. The State Board of Elections anticipates that about 98% of all ballots cast in the election will be counted by the end of election night. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST. However, those in line at the time the polls close will still be allowed to cast their votes. Officials cannot begin counting ballots until 7 a.m. on Election Day, which could result in several days of vote counting. In 2020, it took several days for Pennsylvania to call the state for President Biden. Voters in Michigan can hit the polls from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST on Election Day. Election officials can start tabulating mail ballots on Oct. 28. Election workers cannot start counting ballots until 7 a.m. on Election Day. The polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. CST. Election officials cannot start counting ballots until Election Day.
Pennsylvania judge allows Elon Musk’s PAC to continue $1M a day giveaway
A Pennsylvania judge is allowing Elon Musk’s America PAC to continue their $1 million a day contest through Nov. 5, according to a ruling on Monday. The ruling by Common Pleas Court Judge Angelo Foglietta comes after it was revealed during court proceedings that the contest’s winners are not randomly selected. “The $1 million recipients are not chosen by chance,” America PAC attorney Chris Gober said in court on Monday. “We know exactly who will be announced as the $1 million recipient today and tomorrow.” NIKKI HALEY PENS SUPPORTIVE OP-ED IN FAVOR OF TRUMP AHEAD OF ELECTION DAY: ‘EASY CALL’ The Associated Press contributed to this report. This is a breaking news situation. Check back with us for updates.
Trump, Harris focus on the future of America in closing ads of 2024 presidential campaigns
Vice President Harris and former President Trump dropped the last ads of their 2024 presidential campaigns — both focusing their final pitch to voters on the “people.” Harris’s ad focused on issues and a new generation of leadership, while Trump partnered with several of his most prominent teammates, such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Elon Musk, to make the closing statement. Trump’s final ad featured not only his own narration, but those of all the top political figures who were key players throughout his campaign. “What will we do with this moment? How will we be remembered? Look at the opportunities before us,” Trump said in the opening of his closing ad. TRUMP, HARRIS CAMPAIGNS MAKE FINAL PLAYS AS NATION SITS BARELY ONE DAY FROM ELECTION DAY The video then turns to Democrat-turned Republican Tulsi Gabbard, who says, “This election really isn’t about the left versus the right. It’s about we the people, choosing our government and the choice between freedom versus tyranny.” “Nobody has a chronic disease burden like we have. Why are we allowing this to happen to our children?” former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says. “Ultimately, the only thing that will save our country is if we choose to love our kids more than we hate each other.” The ad also heard from Nicole Shanahan, RFK Jr.’s former running mate and a former Democrat voter. Vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and Tesla CEO Elon Musk were also featured in Trump’s final pitch to voters. MAJOR POLLSTER DROPS FINAL BATTLEGROUND POLL NUMBERS “The people dreamed this country,” Trump said. “And it’s the people who are making america great again.” Harris’ ad, titled “Brighter Future,” opened with clips of her talking with voters on the campaign trail before she begins speaking about different issues frequently highlighted throughout her campaign. “Throughout this campaign, I’ve seen the best of America, and I’ve seen what is holding you back and weighing you down,” Harris said. “High costs, fundamental rights taken away, and politics that have driven fear and division. You deserve better. As president, I’ll bring a new generation of leadership.” The advertisement played a segment from her closing argument speech in front of the White House. “The vast majority of people in our country have so much more in common than what separates them. Good people, hardworking people. We see in our fellow Americans, neighbors, not enemies,” she continued. “Together, we’ll build a brighter future for our nation.” Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Georgia absentee ballot ruling provides legal victory for RNC on eve of election
The Georgia Supreme Court ruled Monday that absentee ballots that were mailed late to voters in Cobb County will only be counted if they arrive back to election officials by Election Day, sparking GOP leadership to take a victory lap. “HUGE election integrity victory in Georgia. Democrat-run Cobb County wanted to accept 3,000 absentee ballots AFTER the Election Day deadline. We took this case to the Georgia Supreme Court,” RNC chair Michael Whatley posted to X on Monday. “We just got word that we WON the case. Election Day is Election Day – not the week after. We will keep fighting, keep winning, and keep sharing updates,” he added. Last week, it was revealed that about 3,000 absentee ballots were mailed late to voters in Cobb County, with just days to spare ahead of Election Day. A county judge ruled on Nov. 1 that the Cobb County Board of Elections could count the ballots if they arrived by 5 p.m. Nov. 8, and were postmarked by 7 p.m. Nov. 5. BEHIND-THE-SCENES BATTLES: LEGAL CHALLENGES THAT COULD IMPACT THE VOTE BEFORE ELECTION DAY BEGINS On Monday, the state’s Supreme Court granted an emergency motion ruling that ballots will only be counted if they are received by 7 p.m. Tuesday. “Consistent with OCGA § 21-2-386, the Cobb County Board of Elections and Registration (the ‘Board’) may count only those absentee ballots received by the statutory deadline of 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, November 5, 2024.” the order reads. ARIZONA HIGH COURT RULES SECRETARY OF STATE MUST TURN OVER LIST OF NONCITIZENS ON VOTER ROLL REPUBLICANS SCORE VICTORY IN GEORGIA FIGHT OVER ELECTION OBSERVERS, RNC CHAIRMAN SAYS The ruling comes after the ACLU, ACLU of Georgia, and Southern Poverty Law Center filed a lawsuit last week regarding roughly 3,000 voters in Cobb County who did not receive absentee ballots. A Superior Court judge subsequently ordered election officials to overnight mail the delayed absentee ballots, and ruled that the ballots should be counted if they are received by Nov. 8. The ACLU lamented the state Supreme Court ruling on Monday, and urged “all affected voters to prioritize voting in person on Election Day, November 5, 2024, if at all possible.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “This afternoon, the Georgia Supreme Court denied relief for Cobb County voters who requested absentee ballots on time but did not receive them on time due to the county’s failure to mail them promptly. The lower court had ruled that an extension of the absentee receipt deadline was necessary in order to protect these voters’ constitutional right to vote, but the Georgia Supreme Court stayed that ruling, removing the relief that the lower court had ordered. The November 8 extension deadline that the earlier order had issued is no longer in effect,” the ACLU said in a statement. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Ohio Secretary of State says Biden admin, leftist groups are pushing back on voter roll audits
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose detailed efforts by the Biden-Harris administration and liberal groups to push back on audits of voter rolls across the country ahead of Election Day. LaRose highlighted his own lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) aimed at forcing the administration to share data he says would help identify non-citizens who are registered to vote. The ACLU and other left-leaning groups have also challenged efforts to clean up voter rolls in Ohio and other states. “It should come as no surprise that the irresponsible Biden-Harris administration, who has thrown open the doors on the southern border; who has allowed our nation to be invaded in many ways… are also not allowing me as an election official to access data to prove that only American citizens are able to vote,” LaRose said. “It’s shocking, and they left me no choice but to sue them,” he added. NONPARTISAN WATCHDOG RELEASES REPORT OUTLINING TOP ELECTION SECURITY THREATS FOR 2024: ‘A LOT CAN GO SIDEWAYS’ The lawsuit claims there were four instances in which Ohio’s requests for access to federal Person Centric Query Service (PCQS) and Central Index System 2 (CIS2) records were ignored or denied. “On October 10, 2024, nearly three months after first requesting assistance, Secretary LaRose received a response from DHS. The letter claimed that Ohio’s access to the SAVE program was sufficient—despite Ohio’s previous letters explaining why SAVE is largely useless here because Ohio lacks the identifiers needed to find specific individuals in SAVE,” the lawsuit reads. Ohio’s ongoing search for wrongful voter registrations relies on analysis and cross-checks against records provided by the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, the DHS Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database, the Social Security Administration, federal jury pool data and other resources. HARRIS REPEATS DEBUNKED CLAIM TRUMP WANTS TO ‘BAN’ ABORTION While LaRose’s office can access the SAVE database, states using it have to pay $1.50 for each query for records, and finding the information required to properly search the data is cumbersome, LaRose says. The PCQS data the Biden administration has declined to share would provide a more comprehensive picture of whether any non-citizens remain registered to vote in Ohio, LaRose says. When reached for comment by Fox News Digital, a DHS spokesperson said they are “engaged with Ohio and will continue to correspond with them directly through official channels.” The DHS also pushed back on LaRose claim that the additional federal data would be helpful. “A manual review of hundreds of thousands of records by the PCQS only allows users to submit one query at a time and would still not lead to a definitive result. Moreover, it would not be an efficient or accurate way to verify U.S. citizenship,” the DHS said. CNN COMMENTATOR SCORCHES DEMS BLAMING TRUMP AT DNC: ‘SHE’S IN THE WHITE HOUSE RIGHT NOW’ “PCQS returns aggregated results across many different immigration systems for a single query at a time. Use of PCQS would require manual review of the results in each case to determine immigration status, as the systems may return disparate or conflicting results. As such, PCQS is not an option for state and local agencies to use for voter verification purpose,” it added. LaRose went on to detail efforts by liberal groups to block the removal of registrations. “Just yesterday we won a major lawsuit in federal court where the ACLU sued me – this sounds like something that’s in the Babylon Bee – they sued me to say that we should accept non-citizen ID cards and then just allow people to vote without any citizenship verification.” “Thankfully, common sense prevailed and the ACLU lost that. Of course, if your state-issued driver’s license says ‘non-citizen’ on it, we’re not going to simply hand you a ballot. We’re gonna ask for you to verify your citizenship,” he added. The ACLU’s lawsuit pertained to naturalized citizens attempting to vote with an ID that labeled them a non-citizen due to it being obtained prior to their naturalization. The ACLU argued such citizens should be able to affirm their naturalization on a government document at the polling site, while LaRose argued such an individual must provide their naturalization documents before casting a ballot. “Requiring naturalized citizens to bring additional documentation to verify their eligibility to vote is not only burdensome and discriminatory, it’s unlawful,” Freda Levenson, legal director of the ACLU of Ohio, said of the suit. A federal judge sided with LaRose on the issue last week. LaRose added that the Justice Department has also sued states for attempting to remove bad registrations. Such DOJ lawsuits accuse state officials of violating the federally mandated “quiet period” that prohibits the systematic removal of registered voters within 90 days of Election Day. The DOJ sued Virginia earlier in October in exactly this fashion, though the Supreme Court sided with state officials in a ruling last week.