Swoboda Touts Amicus Brief Supporting Voter Citizenship Proof

AZGOP Chair Gina Swoboda announced that the Arizona Republican Party (AZGOP) joined with Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections (RITE) PAC to file an amicus curiae brief (“Friend of the Court” brief) in federal court defending the newly enacted requirement for documentary proof of U.S. citizenship in federal voter registration forms. The brief represents a direct response to coordinated lawsuits by Democratic organizations seeking to remove this requirement from the federal registration process.

🚨BREAKING: Arizona Republicans just filed in federal court with RITE to DEFEND documentary proof of citizenship for federal elections. Every vote must be AMERICAN. Period.

Chairwoman @GinaSwoboda: “We will NEVER apologize for defending the rule of law.”https://t.co/rQGaiH1nHV

— Republican Party of Arizona (@AZGOP) August 16, 2025

The filing aligns with President Trump’s Executive Order 14248, entitled “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections,” issued on March 25, 2025. The order directs the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to amend the national mail voter registration form to include documentary proof of citizenship. It threatens to withhold federal funding from non-compliant states.

The amicus brief argues that the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), which mandates that states must “accept and use” the federal registration form, empowers both the EAC and states like Arizona to implement such requirements to ensure only eligible citizens participate in federal elections.

Arizona has championed proof-of-citizenship laws for nearly 20 years. Under Swoboda’s leadership, the party claims that courts have consistently found “zero evidence” of qualified citizens being disenfranchised by the policy.

She stated it clearly: “This case is about the very foundation of our Republic. Citizens deciding the future of our country. As Chairwoman of the Arizona Republican Party, I am proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with President Trump and our national partners to defend the rights of American citizens. We have proven that proof of citizenship laws work. They are constitutional. They are effective. And they ensure every legal vote counts. We will never apologize for standing up for the rule of law, and we will not allow Democrat activists to dismantle election safeguards that protect the voice of every Arizonan.”

Under her leadership, the AZGOP has also pursued efforts around voter-roll maintenance, opposed ranked-choice voting, and contested what it calls illegal changes to election procedures. The newly filed amicus brief amplifies Arizona’s long-running legal arguments in favor of proof-of-citizenship, though federal precedent and recent injunctions suggest uphill battles may be ahead.