Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson (R) has issued a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) urging a halt to the enforcement of an executive order by Joe Biden that could result in the registration of ineligible voters, Fox News first reported.
The executive order, No. 14019, was signed by Joe Biden on March 7, 2021, with the aim of promoting voter access and combating racial discrimination in voting.
However, Watson alleges that the order has been misused by federal agencies to intrude on state rights and potentially undermine the integrity of Mississippi’s voter registration process.
Watson stated in his letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, “These efforts are an intrusion into state matters and are a misuse of federal revenue and resources.”
He expressed concern that DOJ agencies are altering agreements with local jails, specifically to provide voter registration materials and assist in mail voting, possibly enrolling ineligible voters.
The letter states, “According to the Marshals Service, they are modifying 936 contracts or intergovernmental agreements to require state and local government complicity in the potential registration of ineligible prisoners to vote.”