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Hajar Aboueddahab

New leadership, old problem: Alexandria’s persistent housing crisis tests first black female mayor, new city council

Residents feel hope amid a housing crisis as Alexandria continues to grapple with affordability and displacement

Hajar Aboueddahab

November 23, 2024

Complex political identity: Diverse drivers behind Arab American support for Trump in the DMV

Arab Americans in the Washington area who voted for Donald Trump share diverse reasons for that support: from family values to foreign policy to economic relief.

Hajar Aboueddahab

November 16, 2024

People voting in Northern Virginia. The US Supreme Court's decision last week to uphold Virginia鈥檚 voter registration purge has stirred concerns and frustration among some voters and advocacy groups, who view the ruling as鈥痯olitically motivated and a barrier to voter rights. However, other northern Virginia residents support the governor鈥檚 actions and though the Supreme Court ruling made sense. The ruling upheld Gov. Glenn Youngkin鈥檚鈥痚xecutive order allowing the removal of over 1,600 voters, many flagged due to outdated Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) records. The decision overturns a lower federal court ruling that previously found the purge illegal. 鈥淚 think it was politically motivated,鈥� said Monica S., who came today to the DMV in Prince William County to vote. She declined to offer her full surname. 鈥淚t's always wrong to purge voters in the voting rolls. Many of the people who were purged were American citizens, and it is wrong to try to prevent people from being able to vote,鈥� she said. However, Deborah Baxter, a representative of the Republican Women of Prince William, said that she supports Youngkin's actions and that the Supreme Court's ruling is 鈥渃ommon sense.鈥� 鈥淭hese were people that self-identified as not eligible to vote. something that was passed by a previous Democratic governor, removing people from the role," said Baxter 鈥淪o, the Supreme Court got it right. It's common sense. We need to really start using common sense, she said. Ryan Snow, a counsel for the Voting Rights Project of the Lawyers鈥� Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, disagreed. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a lie,鈥� Snow said. 鈥淭here's no evidence that non-citizens are voting at all in Virginia at least 20 years,鈥� he added. Some critics decried the court for not providing a rationale for its ruling, which is typical in emergency appeals. 鈥淭he Supreme Court then overturned that without even bothering to explain their reasoning, and that is definitely very frustrating,鈥� said Anna Dorman, a lawher focused on combating anti-democratic disinformation at Protect Democracy. Dorman said the ruling was extremely disappointing as well as frustrating for the voters in Virginia, who, she said, are left confused about the situation and what it means for their ability to vote. 鈥淚 think that among the group of people who were purged, there's a lot of fear, but it generalized sense within the community, more broadly, that voting is not something that they are welcome to participate in Virginia, that's what makes me sad. It makes me angry,鈥� said Dorman Snow said that the court used its so-called shadow docket for issuing impactful rulings without public reasoning, casting doubt on the credibility and inclusivity of the electoral process. 鈥淚t's dangerous and it's damaging to the credibility of the court,鈥� he said. Youngkin鈥痵aid earlier this week on a鈥疐acebook post鈥痶hat he is 鈥減leased by the Supreme Court鈥檚 order,鈥� adding that it鈥檚 a 鈥渧ictory for commonsense and election fairness.鈥� As for any improperly removed voters, he said they can still vote in the election as Virginia has same-day registration. The controversy centers around the timing and rationale of the voter roll purge. Under the National Voter Registration Act, systematic maintenance of voter rolls is prohibited within 90 days leading up to an election. 鈥淭his is a clear violation,鈥� said Snow. 鈥€淭his was a clearly illegal urge, you cannot engage in systematic risk maintenance, essentially list maintenance, or removing people from the roles, or removing people without doing individualized investigations into their eligibility.鈥� While Virginia does provide same-day registration, many activists see the voter roll purge disproportionately impacting immigrant communities and first-time voters and creating new barriers to participation instead of removing potentially existing ones. 鈥淭hey are immigrants in this country or people who vote or come from different backgrounds and say, the message that I think it's sending is, Hey, you don't belong here,鈥� said Tram Nguyen, co-executive director of New Virginia Majority Tram said she was disappointed with the ruling since it will make it more difficult for voters to participate rather than fostering a welcoming environment for all voters, this decision creates barriers that could dissuade individuals from exercising their right to vote. 鈥淥ne of the most beautiful aspects of America is the right to vote,鈥� she said. Activists and voter rights advocates told the Wash that they are mobilizing to educate individuals about their rights and the voting process to ensure that the message of inclusive participation resonates throughout the community in light of recent legal decisions that have created confusion regarding voter eligibility. 鈥淭here's a test on their citizenship. So, I want people to know if they were purged, it sucks. It's unfair, but they can vote, and they should vote,鈥� said Dorman Photo by Hajar Aboueddahab

Voter outrage, concern sparked by US Supreme Court’s endorsement of Virginia’s voter purge

Voters and activist groups react with frustration and concern over Supreme Court鈥檚 decision to back Virginia voter purge.

Hajar Aboueddahab

November 2, 2024

Festivalgoers gathered around tables set up in the park, painting pumpkins and engaging in conversations. Dupont Circle鈥檚 Fall Festival, Saturday, Oct. 26. Photo by Hajar Aboueddahab

Dupont Circle鈥檚 Fall Festival draws community together, solidifying its place as a cherished tradition

Families, pets, and neighbors flock to Dupont Circle to enjoy a blend of Halloween fun and autumn traditions.

Hajar Aboueddahab

October 30, 2024

最新蜜桃影像

Hajar Aboueddahab

New leadership, old problem: Alexandria’s persistent housing crisis tests first black female mayor, new city council

Complex political identity: Diverse drivers behind Arab American support for Trump in the DMV

Voter outrage, concern sparked by US Supreme Court’s endorsement of Virginia’s voter purge

Dupont Circle鈥檚 Fall Festival draws community together, solidifying its place as a cherished tradition

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