Gavin Newsom’s Admission on Non-Citizen Voting: A Double Standard! By Charles Taylor (Florida)

In August 2025, California Governor Gavin Newsom sparked controversy with a comment that appeared to acknowledge non-citizen voting in U.S. elections. Speaking on the Pivot podcast, Newsom warned that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) might appear at polling places to "chill participation," implying that non-citizens are voting and that Democrats rely on their participation. This statement, reported by The Gateway Pundit, contradicts years of Democratic claims that non-citizen voting is a negligible "myth." Yet, research suggests otherwise, estimating millions of non-citizens may be illegally registered, potentially swaying close elections. Newsom's casual acceptance of this issue raises a troubling question: Would he be so nonchalant if these votes favored Republicans? The evidence points to a double standard that undermines electoral integrity and public trust.

Newsom's remark came while defending California's sanctuary laws, which limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. By suggesting ICE presence could deter "participation," he implicitly admitted that non-citizens, specifically undocumented immigrants, are voting in U.S. elections. This is a stark departure from the Democratic narrative, which has long dismissed non-citizen voting as a baseless conspiracy. For years, mainstream media and Democratic leaders, including Newsom's own administration, have insisted that safeguards like voter ID checks and registration protocols prevent such activity. Yet, his comment suggests not only that it happens but that it's significant enough to warrant concern about ICE interference.

Research backs up the claim that non-citizen voting is far from a myth. A 2014 Electoral Studies paper found that about 25% of non-citizens were likely registered to vote, with over 6% casting ballots in the 2008 election. The study estimated these votes likely influenced key races, including a Senate contest critical to passing Obamacare, and noted that 81.8% of non-citizen voters supported Barack Obama. More recently, a 2024 analysis by Just Facts, using 2022 Census data, estimated that 10–27% of non-citizen adults, roughly 2 to 5 million people, are illegally registered. With voter turnout rates, this could translate to 1–3 million illegal votes in a federal election, enough to tip battleground states like Arizona or Georgia, where 2020 margins were under 12,000 votes.

These numbers are not trivial. In close elections, even a small fraction of non-citizen votes could alter outcomes. For instance, Biden's 2020 victory in Arizona rested on just 10,457 votes. If non-citizens, who lean heavily Democrat according to surveys (73–82% from 2006–2022), voted in significant numbers, they could have swayed such results. Newsom's acknowledgment that ICE could "chill" this participation suggests he's aware of the scale and sees it as a feature, not a flaw, of the system, provided the votes align with his party.

Newsom's apparent comfort with non-citizen voting raises a critical question: Would he be as dismissive if these votes favoured Republicans? The evidence suggests otherwise. Democrats, including Newsom, have consistently resisted measures to strengthen election security, such as requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration. When President Trump's Election Integrity Commission requested public voter-roll data in 2017, California's Secretary of State refused, falsely claiming it sought "personal data." This resistance, coupled with Newsom's sanctuary policies, suggests a strategic interest in maintaining lax oversight, particularly when non-citizen votes overwhelmingly benefit Democrats.

Imagine a scenario where polls showed non-citizens favouring Republicans, perhaps due to economic policies or cultural shifts. Would Newsom still warn about ICE "chilling participation," or would he demand stricter voter ID laws and federal intervention? History offers a clue. In 2022, when California considered Senate Bill 1174, which clarified that local governments couldn't require voter ID at polls, Democrats supported it, arguing ID requirements disproportionately affect minorities and low-income voters. Yet, if non-citizen voting trends shifted toward Republicans, it's hard to believe Newsom wouldn't pivot to championing voter verification to "protect democracy." This selective concern reveals a partisan double standard: non-citizen voting is tolerable as long as it serves Democratic interests.

Newsom's admission undermines public trust in elections at a time when confidence is already shaky. Polls show 60–70% of Americans support voter ID laws, reflecting widespread concern about electoral fairness. By acknowledging non-citizen voting without proposing reforms, Newsom fuels perceptions that Democrats benefit from a compromised system. California's policies, like issuing driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants (which can facilitate voter registration) and resisting federal voter-roll audits, amplify these concerns. The state's refusal to fully cooperate with ICE, as Newsom's sanctuary laws dictate, further complicates efforts to ensure only citizens vote.

The stakes are high. Non-citizen voting, even in small numbers, can cancel out legitimate votes, especially in tight races. The 2014 Electoral Studies paper suggested non-citizen votes may have tipped Electoral College outcomes in 2008. With mid-term elections looming, the potential for 1–3 million illegal votes could decide control of Congress. Newsom's dismissal of this as a non-issue, while warning about ICE's impact on "participation," suggests he prioritises political advantage over fairness.

Newsom's slip reveals a deeper issue: a willingness to overlook electoral vulnerabilities when they align with partisan goals. If non-citizens were voting Republican, the outcry from Democrats would likely be swift and loud, with demands for federal investigations and new laws. Instead, Newsom's comment frames non-citizen voting as an acceptable reality, even a strategic asset, as long as it bolsters Democratic outcomes. This erodes trust in democracy, alienates voters who demand transparency, and risks escalating tensions in an already polarised nation.

Rather than dismissing concerns, Newsom should advocate for common-sense reforms like mandatory citizenship verification at voter registration. Such measures, supported by most Americans, would strengthen trust without disenfranchising legal voters. His failure to do so, combined with his admission, suggests a troubling comfort with a system that allows illegal votes to influence elections, provided they lean his way.

Gavin Newsom's acknowledgment that non-citizens vote in U.S. elections, paired with his concern about ICE deterring their "participation," exposes a glaring double standard. Research confirms non-citizen voting is real and potentially decisive, yet Newsom seems untroubled, likely because these votes favor Democrats. If the political winds shifted and non-citizens backed Republicans, his silence would likely turn to alarm. This selective indifference undermines electoral integrity and fuels distrust. For a governor who claims to champion democracy, Newsom's stance is a betrayal of fairness, accepting partisan gain over the sanctity of the vote. It's time for leaders to demand transparency and reforms to ensure only citizens shape America's future.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/08/newsom-slips-admits-illegal-immigrants-are-voting-u/

"In defending his state's sanctuary laws, California Governor Gavin Newsom warned that Immigration and Customs Enforcement might show up at polling places to "chill participation."

That statement was an admission: Democrats know non-citizens are voting—and they are relying on it.

For years, Democrats and allied media have insisted that non-citizen voting is a "myth."

Yet extensive research contradicts them. A 2014 Electoral Studies paper found that about one-quarter of non-citizens were likely registered, and over six percent voted in 2008.

The study concluded those votes "likely" changed key elections for Democrats, including Electoral College outcomes and a Senate race that enabled passage of Obamacare.

It also reported that 81.8% of non-citizens who admitted voting in 2008 supported Barack Obama.

Those findings were reinforced by Just Facts, which updated the estimates using 2022 Census data.

They determined that between 10% and 27% of non-citizens nationwide are illegally registered to vote.

With 19.7 million non-citizen adults counted in 2022, that means two to five million names appear illegally on voter rolls.

Given turnout rates, between one million and nearly three million non-citizens could cast ballots in 2024.

That is enough to swing battleground states and determine control of Congress.

The argument that those numbers are "too small" collapses when compared to recent election margins.

In 2020, Biden carried Arizona by just over 10,000 votes. Georgia's margin was fewer than 12,000.

If even a fraction of the non-citizen votes identified occurred in those states, outcomes could have flipped.

Yet Democrats dismiss the issue, even while their governors admit illegal immigrants are participating."