Thread by @UrbanAchievr

Where did people like Tucker Carlson (and Trump for that matter) get the idea that undocumented immigrants are eager to get mixed up in illegal voting schemes? 1/

This is a population that by and large does everything it can to *avoid* interactions with municipal authorities. Even if they're victims of a crime, or abuse and exploitation at work, many will keep quiet because they're afraid of being deported. 2/

And yet we're asked to believe that they'll risk it all for some "walking around money."

"Here's fifty bucks, now go into this building with a police car parked outside and pretend to be someone else. It'll be fine!" 3/

Even immigrants who came here legally and are now permanent residents don't automatically get to vote. They have to go through a naturalization process. That requires "civic effort," which is a good thing, right? 4/

You get the feeling this isn't really about illegal immigrants taking up voter fraud for some spare change.

That's a cover story, a way of laundering xenophobia behind a legitimate sounding concern about election integrity. 5/

The real fear, it seems, is that American-born children of immigrants will exercise their rights as adults. Which is why you hear proposals to revoke birthright citizenship, or Steve King worrying that "we can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies." 6/

Which is bigoted as hell, but at least it's honest.

So stop engaging with the hyped nonsense about undocumented immigrants corrupting our elections and keep reminding people that, with few exceptions (like diplomats), anyone born in this country is 100% American. 7/end