All nine members of the Massachusetts delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives, including our own Bill Keating, are on record in support of allowing non-citizen immigrants the right to vote.

Some places such as San Francisco already allow non-citizen immigrants to vote in local elections.

Taylor Cormier/Townsquare Media
Taylor Cormier/Townsquare Media
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Lauren Sampson with Lawyers for Civil Rights tells the Boston Herald that prohibiting non-citizen immigrants from voting is “taxation without representation,” as many with green cards or other legal status work or own homes.

"It makes sense to have folks living in these local communities have a voice, have a say," she said.

The so-called "right" to vote is actually a privilege. There are restrictions and it can be taken away. We used to take voting quite seriously in this country; now most elections draw fewer than half of eligible participants. And now there are those who would extend that great privilege to non-citizens.

The privilege of voting is one of the most cherished prizes awarded to those who have come to this country from somewhere else with a dream to assimilate and a burning desire to pledge allegiance to the greatest nation to ever exist. To just give away that privilege to anyone who fails to make that commitment is to weaken its value and the future of this great country.

Non-citizens should not be allowed to vote in any U.S. election. Period.

Barry Richard is the host of The Barry Richard Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. Contact him at barry@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @BarryJRichard58. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. 

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