Fact Checking Claims Of 10 Million Undocumented Immigrants Registered To Vote

In today's fast-paced world, misinformation can spread like wildfire, particularly on social media platforms. A recent claim that over 10 million undocumented immigrants registered to vote in the November 2024 U.S. election has caught the attention of many. This assertion, supposedly supported by data from the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA), has raised alarm bells and prompted investigations into its validity.

In early September 2024, a series of images went viral on X, claiming to show the number of non-citizen "illegal aliens" who registered to vote by state. These posts suggested that the data originated from the SSA, which led many to believe in the legitimacy of the claim. However, a closer examination reveals a different story—one that underscores the importance of discerning fact from fiction in our information-saturated environment.

The truth is that the figures referenced in these viral posts do not indicate non-citizens registering to vote. Instead, they reflect the number of times state election officials accessed the Help America Vote Verification (HAVV) system, a federal database used for verifying voter registration information. This distinction is crucial, as it highlights the potential for misinterpretation and the spread of misinformation.

The SSA reported that the data used in the viral posts originated from attempts by states to verify voter registrations, especially in cases where applicants do not hold a driver's license. The numbers shown in these posts correlate with verification requests made to the SSA from January 1, 2024, to August 24, 2024. This context is vital for understanding the true nature of the data, which has been sensationalized to suggest widespread voter fraud.

Furthermore, the Help America Vote Act of 2002 mandates that states build centralized computerized databases for voter registration verification. This means that when individuals register to vote, they must provide either a driver's license number or the last four digits of their social security number. The verification process between state officials and the SSA is designed to ensure accuracy and prevent fraudulent registrations.

It is essential to recognize that the viral images do not reflect non-citizen voting. Instead, they simply show the frequency of system access, which does not inherently indicate any voting activity by undocumented individuals. For this reason, fact-checkers have rated the claim as "False," emphasizing the need for critical thinking and fact-checking in our digital age.

As we approach the 2024 elections, it is crucial to remain vigilant against misinformation that can cloud our understanding of the electoral process. Snopes and other fact-checking organizations have been working tirelessly to debunk false claims about noncitizen voting, ensuring that the public has access to accurate information.