U.S. Apportionment Includes All Residents, While Illegal Voting Remains Rare

Social media user "wanye" recently sparked discussion by commenting on several contentious topics, including the extent of illegal voting, the nature of public benefits for immigrant households, and the impact of undocumented individuals on congressional districts. The post suggested that while some claims might seem extreme, they warrant further examination. These points frequently feature in national debates on immigration and electoral integrity.

Regarding claims of illegal voting, "wanye" stated, "Voting we can’t prove, but surely there’s some amount of illegal voting and it would be good to know how much." However, extensive research indicates that noncitizen voting in U.S. elections is both illegal and exceedingly rare. A 2017 study by the Brennan Center for Justice found that the rate of noncitizen voting constituted only 0.0001% of all votes cast, with the vast majority of these instances attributed to mistakes.

The discussion also touched on public benefits, with "wanye" clarifying, "The situation with benefits is clarified if you adjust the claim from 'illegal immigrants are receiving benefits' to 'households headed by illegal immigrants are receiving benefits'." Undocumented immigrants are generally ineligible for federal public benefits such as Medicaid, food stamps (SNAP), and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). However, U.S.-citizen children within these households may qualify for certain benefits, and emergency medical care is available to all individuals regardless of immigration status.

Concerning the impact on political representation, the tweet asserted, "It’s just a fact that they transform congressional districts." The U.S. Constitution mandates a decennial count of "all persons residing in the country" for the purpose of apportioning seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. This count includes citizens, non-citizens, and undocumented immigrants, a principle affirmed by the Supreme Court. Consequently, the presence of undocumented individuals does influence the population totals used for congressional apportionment.