Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, issued an executive order on Wednesday aimed at strengthening election security in the state, including removing foreign nationals from voter rolls and establishing procedures for prosecuting them.

Issued by Youngkin's office Executive Order 35The order codifies the integrity of elections in the state through a series of measures, including stricter voting security procedures, increased testing of voting machines, and voter roll management to more thoroughly identify and remove foreign nationals from voter rolls. The order builds on election integrity efforts made earlier in the Administration, such as a June order that updated data-sharing agreements and simplified the process for removing deceased voters from the rolls. (Related article: Illegal immigrant deported for rape re-enters U.S., convicted of other sex crimes)

“The Virginia model of election security is working,” Youngkin said Wednesday. press release “This is not about Democrats or Republicans, this is about America and the Commonwealth of Virginia,” he said in an executive order.

“Every legal vote should be counted, not tainted by illegal votes or inaccurate machines. In Virginia, we don't play games and our election security model works,” the governor continued.

There have been documented cases of foreign nationals being registered on voter rolls, the Virginia Attorney General said on Wednesday. Identified and removed Since taking office, more than 6,000 foreigners have been added to the voter rolls.

Governor Youngkin's order specifically targets election participation by non-citizens by directing the Director of Elections to certify in writing that individuals who fail to prove their citizenship will be removed from statewide voter registration lists. Before issuing a driver's license, the Department of Transportation must also verify the identity and legal status of applicants in Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration databases.

The order also outlines procedures for when foreign nationals attempt to register to vote, including notifying prosecutors and ensuring that Virginia's attorney general has “full authority” to enforce the state's election laws. (Related article: California issues driver's license to illegal immigrant arrested for stealing grandmother's car)

“We use DMV data and other reliable data sources to verify voters' legal residency and identity and update the voter rolls daily. In addition to adding new voters, we remove those who should not be on the list, including deceased individuals, individuals who have moved, and foreign nationals who attempted to register mistakenly or maliciously,” Youngkin said of the order.

The governor's order Efforts to grow Republicans have pledged to prevent illegal immigrants and other foreign nationals from participating in federal elections, while many Democrats Claimed This is a fabricated controversy.

In a public statement in July opposing a House Republican bill aimed at strengthening election integrity, President Joe Biden called the claim that foreigners are participating in the election an “easily disprovable lie.”

Similar lawsuits have been filed across the country, including one filed by America First Legal on Tuesday against Maricopa County, Arizona, for failing to remove foreign nationals from its voter rolls. The group alleged earlier this year that there are more than 35,000 registered voters in Arizona who have not provided proof of citizenship.

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