Cruz: Amendment to Immigration Bill Will Tighten Voter Law

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas on Monday filed an amendment to the immigration-reform legislation aimed, he says, at closing a loophole and allowing states to continue requiring proof of citizenship before a voter casts his or her ballot.

It was introduced just hours after the Supreme Court ruled that states cannot ask voters for proof of citizenship, reports CNN.

The Supreme Court ruled 7-2 Monday that a proof-of citizenship requirement in Arizona violates the National Voter Registration Act, which requires applicants only to affirm their citizenship status but not to provide further proof.

Cruz announced his intentions on Twitter, saying, "I'll file amendment to immigration bill that permits states to require ID before registering voters & close this hole in fed statutory law."

Cruz said he opposes the Senate Gang of Eight's immigration-reform measure because it means amnesty for immigrants without doing enough to secure the border.

But, he says, it's important for voters to prove their citizenship as well.

“The right to vote is a fundamental building block of our nation’s democratic process and it is crucial that we have the measures in place to uphold the integrity of our elections,” said Cruz in a statement posted to his website Monday.

“This amendment ensures that states can enforce the commonsense requirement that those registered to vote must actually be U.S. citizens,” Cruz said.

Republican Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana is co-sponsoring the amendment, which may have difficulty passing the Democratic-controlled Senate.

"Justice Alito said in his dissent, ‘I do not think that this is what Congress intended’ and I agree with him,” Cruz said. “The court’s ruling leaves a hole in federal law that allows non-citizens to register by using the promulgated federal form without showing proof of citizenship. This encourages voter fraud, and we must ensure that our elections are fair and accurately reflect the will of our citizens.”