Rhode Island League of Women Voters barred from registering new citizens at naturalization events

The Rhode Island League of Women Voters is now barred from helping new citizens register to vote immediately after they become U.S. citizens.

For almost two years, the League has been registering new citizens to vote in the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services building in Johnston. Last week, however, they were informed that they would no longer be allowed to do so because a new federal policy bars all non-partisan and non-governmental organizations, like the League, from registering new citizens at naturalization ceremonies.

The USCIS policy in question, issued on Aug. 29, states that “only state and local election officials will be permitted to offer voter registration services” going forward.

“This is another step to control who votes, because what this does is make it more di