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Editor’s note: This report has been edited to provide context. While Western Journalism included a video of the complete Obama interview segment referenced below, our accompanying written report did not clarify the president later acknowledged there are U.S. residents “who can’t legally vote.”
Several outlets relied on edited versions of the interview to support their assertions. While our editorial standards demanded the inclusion of Obama’s full response, we recognize his answer was complex and not immediately clear. We apologize for any confusion our report might have caused.
Some have interpreted President Barack Obama’s recent comments as a call for illegal immigrants to vote with impunity.
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Obama sat down for an interview with Gina Rodriguez for the Hispanic-oriented YouTube channel mitú.
She asked the president what he believes are the consequences of an illegal immigrant voting.
“Many of the millennials, Dreamers, undocumented citizens – and I call them citizens because the contribute to this country – are fearful of voting. So if I vote, will Immigration know where I live? Will they come for my family and deport us?” she asked.
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Although by law, only American citizens are allowed to vote, Obama noted there is a wide gap between the laws as they are written and what is actually enforced.
“Not true,” Obama replied. “And the reason is, first of all, when you vote, you are a citizen yourself. And there is not a situation where the voting rolls somehow are transferred over and people start investigating, etc. The sanctity of the vote is strictly confidential.”
Many on Twitter were aghast.
Obama signals voter fraud committed by illegal aliens in the presidential election will not be investigated: https://t.co/1J0UOcJBdc
— Katie McHugh🇺🇸 (@k_mcq) November 6, 2016
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Looky here: Obama encouraging illegals to vote in US elections. Just insane. #CrookedHillary #TrumpPence16 https://t.co/gXUlkNEgIm
— Chad Wilbanks (@ChadWilbanks) November 7, 2016
Twitter was not alone in its outrage. When Neil Cavuto of Fox Business heard Obama, he was livid.
“I can’t believe that I heard what I heard,” Cavuto said.
“The president isn’t even questioning whether the person who is an illegal is voting, outside of reminding people that if you’re a citizen, you vote. But it’s very clear that the question that is being asked was about illegals voting and afraid that they might be reported to Border Security. You’re illegal. You cannot vote.”
Cavuto said Obama is encouraging law-breaking behavior.
“The President of the United States is saying, ‘Don’t worry, no one will be spying on you, catching you,’” Cavuto added.
“You’re ignoring the fact that you are being questioned about illegal voting, which you can’t do. Why? Because you’re not a citizen of this country!”
In response to a follow-up by Rodriguez, Obama did call on Latino citizens to speak out for “family members, friends, classmates … who may not have a voice” and “who can’t legally vote.” You’re speaking for family members, friends, classmates of yours in school. In reality, though, one investigation showed the names of non-citizens were not uncommon on voter rolls in the weeks leading up to Election Day.
Last month, Judicial Watch noted that “1,046 aliens, or residents who are not U.S. citizens, were on the voter rolls in 8 Virginia counties.” Judicial Watch, which is monitoring Virginia’s elections for fraud, said statewide, that could mean as many as 6,500 ineligible voters are on the rolls.
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