Can permanent residents with a Green Card vote in the United States?
The Permanent Resident Card, known as Green Card, offers benefits such as the right to live and work permanently in the US, but does it allow you to vote?
The United States government offers several options for foreigners or migrants to live legally in the country. One of these is the Permanent Resident Card, popularly known as the Green Card.
In addition to being able to prove their residency status, the Green Card grants foreigners several benefits and privileges over tourists and immigrants with an unregulated immigration status: but does it give you the right to vote?
Can people with a Green Card vote in the US?
Permanent residents with a Green Card cannot vote in the United States. The Green Card gives a person the opportunity to live and work in the country as a legal foreigner, but not as a citizen. Foreigners with a Permanent Resident Card continue to be citizens of their country of origin.
According to the usa.gov website, for state and federal elections, people who do not have U.S. citizenship cannot vote. This includes legal permanent residents who have a green card. These foreigners cannot run for public office either.
“It is considered a crime if you are not a U.S. citizen, and you register to vote or actually vote in federal elections,” according to the government.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) may deny citizenship (naturalization) or deport people who vote or register to vote who are not citizens of the United States.
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Benefits provided by the Green Card
Despite not achieving citizen status, foreigners with a Green Card enjoy other privileges. Two of the biggest benefits that it offers is that it allows you to live in the country and work for a period of time, generally 10 years, after which the permit can be renewed.
Additionally, people with a Green Card can bring their immediate family members (spouse and minor children) to the United States. They can also leave or enter the country without the risk of being denied entry or exit by immigration officials.
They also have the right to apply for government-sponsored financial aid for educational purposes and be eligible to receive Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, and Medicare benefits.
Another benefit is that having a Green Card offers protection against deportation, as well as legal protection under U.S. laws. After a certain period of time, people with a Permanent Resident Card can apply for US citizenship, which would then grant them the right to vote.