Hans A. von Spakovsky

Opinion June 6

Sanctuary cities forced to comply with federal immigration rules due to innovative program

Sanctuary cities face challenges as Operation Guardian Angel, initiated by Bill Essayli, seeks to curb illegal immigration by enforcing federal laws.

Opinion January 27

The birthright citizenship clause too many forget, but Trump is right to question

One of the biggest issues of the new Trump term is birthright citizenship. The president is pushing back against it with an executive order. He has a valid, constitutional argument.

OPINION August 17

What is 'smurfing'? What every American needs to know about illegal money in elections

The Federal Election Commission has civil enforcement authority for FECA violations, while the DOJ has criminal enforcement authority for intentional and knowing violations of the law.

OPINION July 21

What could happen to Biden campaign’s $91 million?

The Biden campaign has more than $90 million in cash on hand. But there are many ways it could be handled now that he has opted out of the race. Kamala Harris' campaign is one option.

OPINION February 2, 2024

Biden needs a spine, not more legislation, to shut down the border

Federal immigration law already gives President Biden the ability to close the border – and he, his advisers and his political allies know it.

OPINION January 27, 2024

Texas can keep securing the border. Supreme Court didn't prevent it

There's confusion around the Supreme Court's recent order regarding attempts in Texas to seal the state's southern border. Here's what is really going on and what might happen next.

OPINION December 28, 2023

Will elections finally be secure and honest in 2024?

Many states are gearing up for the demands of the 2024 election and working to ensure voting will be secure and honest. Other states like California have done nothing toward reform.

OPINION September 1, 2023

Federal judge defies Congress in ruling against Texas election reform

Federal Judge Xavier Rodriguez is defying both Congress and federal law by throwing out an ID requirement of Texas' election law for absentee ballots.

OPINION August 9, 2023

Biden's war on Texas border buoys reveals what he really thinks about immigration laws

Biden's Justice Department recently filed a lawsuit to force Texas to remove a floating barrier on the Rio Grande River.

OPINION July 19, 2023

A federal court just handed Biden's Ministry of Truth a big defeat

A federal court recently upheld Americans' First Amendment right to speak without being censored by the government.

OPINION March 10, 2023

Forget open borders. This crazy law opens voting booths to aliens

Radical ideas have been blossoming in the D.C. City Council—ideas that will disenfranchise the city's citizens.

OPINION February 13, 2023

Impeaching Mayorkas is a must, he violated his oath and committed ‘high Crimes and Misdemeanors’

Impeaching Mayorkas is a must, he violated his oath and committed ‘high Crimes and Misdemeanors.’ His actions caused an unprecedented border catastrophe.

OPINION December 16, 2022

FEC needs to reopen Twitter probe now that documents Musk released show company may have outright lied

FEC needs to reopen Twitter probe now that documents Musk released show company may have lied to or misled FEC about in-kind contribution to Biden campaign.

OPINION August 8, 2022

Non-citizens voting in California: Judge says no, even in left-wing state

A California judge has ruled that only citizens have the right to vote, striking down a San Francisco ordinance in a ruling that echoes one in New York.

OPINION January 13, 2022

The 10 worst provisions in Biden, Schumer's voting rights bills

The claim by President Biden and Vice President Harris that the election reforms passed by states will prevent 55 million Americans from voting is outrageous. Nothing could be further from the truth.

OPINION December 10, 2021

Will New York Times, Washington Post return Pulitzer for misleading Russia collusion stories?

New York Times and The Washington Post won a Pulitzer for inaccurate coverage of Russia’s alleged collaboration with the Trump campaign, a claim we now know was a hoax. When will they return the prize?

OPINION October 29, 2021

Hans von Spakovsky​: DHS' Mayorkas makes jobs for illegal aliens a priority over US workers and the law

The directive by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on the employment of illegal aliens demonstrates his contempt for both the rule of law and the well-being of American workers.

OPINION July 30, 2021

Hans von Spakovsky: Biden's border crisis – crime problem in Texas a bad omen for rest of US

The Texas Rangers report shows that over 344,000 criminal aliens were booked into local Texas jails between June 1, 2011, and June 30, 2021, of which over 235,000 were classified as illegal aliens.

OPINION July 17, 2021

Hans von Spakovsky: Texas Democrats' outrageous claims about election reforms have no connection to reality

Texas Democrats held a press conference on Friday in Alexandria, Va., across the Potomac River from the nation’s capital, to continue their lies about the election reforms being proposed in the special session of the Texas legislature.

OPINION July 16, 2021

Hans von Spakovsky: The Big Lie about Texas and other states' election reforms

President Biden claimed in a recent speech that state election reform efforts are "the 21st Century Jim Crow assault" and "the most dangerous threat to voting and integrity of free and fair elections in our history."

OPINION June 20, 2021

Hans von Spakovsky: Merrick Garland's misleading voting claims – what AG gets wrong about US elections

Partisan, political, designed to inflame. That’s what Merrick Garland’s recent speech on voting rights was. It certainly was not objective, measured and deliberate – the kind of speech you expect from an attorney general.

OPINION May 7, 2021

Hans von Spakovsky: Voter suppression? Dems flat-out wrong. Census data gives real story about US elections

The Census Bureau’s recent release of its 2020 election survey of voters clearly demonstrates that those who have been claiming, without justification or evidence, that we have been experiencing a wave of so-called "voter suppression" have a lot of explaining to do. 

OPINION March 14, 2021

Hans von Spakovsky: HR1/For the People Act imperils free and fair elections. Here are the worst 8 parts

H.R. 1, the deceptively entitled "For the People Act," has arrived in the U.S. Senate after a party-line vote in the House of Representatives. It is without doubt the most dangerous and irresponsible election bill I have ever seen.  

OPINION February 27, 2021

Von Spakovsky & Cuccinelli: Biden's immigration order – this is how policy will hide crimes, ignore victims

On his first day in the Oval Office, President Biden signed a record 17 executive orders. One of the worst – and most dangerous – was his "Revision of Civil Immigration Enforcement Policies and Priorities." A more apt title would be "Providing Sanctuary for Criminal Aliens." 

OPINION January 9, 2021

Hans von Spakovsky: Can Biden AG nominee Merrick Garland run Justice Department without political bias?

Our nation deserves an attorney general who makes prosecution decisions in the best interests of justice, not based on the political demands of the president or his allies in Congress.

OPINION December 19, 2020

Hans von Spakovsky: Attorney General William Barr steps down with outstanding record of accomplishments

Attorney General William Barr will leave office Wednesday the same way he came in — as a class act. He carried out his role as the consummate professional who followed the law, administered justice, and forged ahead him.

OPINION December 11, 2020

Hans von Spakovsky: Supreme Court ruling probably dooms Trump attempt to block Biden election as president

The U.S. Supreme Court rejection Friday night of the legal Hail Mary pass Texas threw contesting the November presidential election probably ends the last realistic chance President Trump had to block an election victory by former Vice President Joe Biden.

OPINION December 2, 2020

Hans von Spakovsky: Barr naming special counsel to investigate origins of Russia probe lets inquiry continue

Congressional Democrats weren’t happy to learn Tuesday that Attorney General William Barr appointed John Durham as a special counsel in October to continue investigating the origins of the now thoroughly discredited Trump-Russia “collusion” probe into the 2016 presidential election.

OPINION November 14, 2020

Hans von Spakovsky: Effort to win Georgia Senate races by bringing in out-of-staters to vote is illegal

Celebrities and politicians urging people to visit Georgia and falsely claim residency for the sole purpose of voting in two critical U.S. Senate runoff elections Jan. 5 are advocating criminal actions and should be ashamed of themselves. This call for voter fraud should be rejected.

OPINION November 6, 2020

Von Spakovsky & Smith: Trump and supporters wage legal battles across US to defeat Biden — here’s a rundown

In Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada and Arizona court fights are being waged to determine which votes will be counted in the election.