Birth certificate

Wisconsin's DMV is extending customer service center hours Monday and Tuesday, staying open until 6 p.m. Tuesday, to help residents obtain photo identification ahead of the midterm election. The extended hours target voters lacking a Wisconsin driver's license, state ID, or other acceptable ID. Applicants need a birth certificate, proof of identity, and proof of residency; IDs for voting are free for U.S. citizens. Wisconsin does not require a separate "voter ID," and a REAL ID is not required to vote. Those unable to finish the process before polls open can receive a mailed photo ID document or cast a provisional ballot while awaiting it.

Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed has repeated his assertion that Israel is "not actually our friend," making the case in interviews with ABC News and MS NOW ahead of his final debate against Republican Mike Rogers. El-Sayed argues Israel has lobbied the U.S. into conflicts, including pushing for action against Iran, and accused the Israeli military of war crimes. He has also faced criticism for deflecting questions about alleged family ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and past appearances with controversial streamer Hasan Piker. At the debate in Detroit, El-Sayed also opposed the SAVE America Act's voter ID and citizenship-proof requirements, calling them voter suppression, while Rogers defended the measure as reasonable. The race remains competitive ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

A federal grand jury in Boise has indicted Fredy Avila Gomez on charges including wire fraud, theft of government funds, falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to vote, voting by an alien, making a false statement on a passport application, identification document fraud and firearms offenses. Prosecutors allege that from at least March 2017 through June 2026, Gomez used a fraudulent birth certificate to obtain Idaho identification cards and falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen or national, then used those documents to fraudulently obtain a U.S. passport, Medicaid benefits and a firearm. He is also accused of falsely claiming citizenship when registering to vote and casting ballots in Idaho's May 2022 and November 2024 elections.

The Justice Department listed Gomez among 16 people charged nationwide in cases tied to alleged illegal voting or voter registration. He is set for an initial court appearance in Boise and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. The case, being prosecuted by federal authorities, involved several federal investigative agencies. Gomez is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Kansas voters will decide on Nov. 3 whether to amend the state constitution to explicitly bar noncitizens from voting. Critics note noncitizen voting is already illegal and virtually nonexistent in Kansas, arguing the measure is designed as a pretext to enact proof-of-citizenship requirements for voter registration.

The amendment, backed by state Rep. Pat Proctor, a Republican currently running for Kansas secretary of state, passed with near-unanimous GOP support. Opponents say requiring documents such as a passport, birth certificate, or naturalization papers would create a costly, time-consuming barrier to voting, since a majority of Kansans lack a passport. Women who have changed their name through marriage or divorce would face additional hurdles, needing to produce marriage licenses or divorce decrees to match records. Opponents argue the measure would disproportionately suppress turnout among low-income, young, elderly, and female voters, pointing to Proctor's past legislative efforts restricting voter registration drives and mail-in voting.

Brian José Morales García, 25, has returned to the United States after federal officials agreed to allow his reentry while his citizenship case proceeds in court. Morales was deported to Mexico in April following a traffic stop near Fredericksburg, Texas, despite insisting he was born in Denver, Colorado, and holding a U.S. birth certificate. The Department of Homeland Security had disputed his citizenship claim, alleging he entered the country illegally.

According to his attorneys, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agreed to admit Morales after his legal team submitted additional evidence, including hospital records, sworn witness statements and a certified Colorado birth record. He crossed back into the U.S. on August 30 at a designated port of entry after presenting his birth certificate and photo ID. Morales, who also holds Mexican citizenship, has said discrepancies between his U.S. and Mexican documents stem from clerical errors. His lawsuit, Morales Garcia v. Mullin et al., remains pending in federal court in Texas, and a scheduled September 8 injunction hearing has been canceled following his return.