The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or SAVE Act, proposes amending the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) to mandate that states require proof of U.S. citizenship when an individual registers to vote in federal elections. Noncitizens caught voting under the proposed law could face fines and up to a year in prison. The SAVE Act passed on July 10, with 198 Democrats voting against it. Opponents argue that noncitizens are already barred from voting in federal elections. However, this year, several states have discovered thousands of noncitizens listed on voter rolls, which is a direct violation of federal law. “This month alone, more than 16,000 non-citizens have been removed from the voter rolls in 3 states,” Florida Sen. Rick Scott said in an Aug. 28 post on X. “It’s a serious problem — and as the next Senate GOP Leader I’ll make sure we fix it.”House Republicans are under mounting pressure to link a piece of legislation aimed at preventing noncitizens from registering to vote in U.S. elections to an upcoming continuing resolution bill.
Illegals SHOULD NOT BE VOTING in American elections.
This month alone, more than 16,000 non-citizens have been removed from the voter rolls in 3 states. It’s a serious problem – and as the next Senate GOP Leader I’ll make sure we fix it. pic.twitter.com/qoBy5KNgFa
— Rick Scott (@ScottforFlorida) August 28, 2024 Days before Scott’s post, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a statement revealing that officials in his state had removed more than 1.1 million ineligible voters from voter rolls, including over 6,400 noncitizens. Abbott added that nearly 2,000 of these noncitizens had voted in elections.
Welfare offices and other agencies in at least 46 states are providing voter registration forms to migrants without requiring proof of citizenship, the New York Post reported.
Texas has removed over 1.1 million ineligible voters from our rolls.
This includes more than 6,500 noncitizens. Almost 2,000 have cast votes.
They’re being referred to Attorney General @KenPaxtonTX for prosecution.
Texas won't tolerate illegal voting. https://t.co/dJF6rnihui
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 26, 2024 House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is now facing pressure to attach the SAVE Act to the upcoming continuing resolution, which would extend government funding until next March. To pass the resolution, Johnson would need to secure 218 votes, a challenging task given that some Republicans have already pledged not to support another continuing resolution. The resolution must be passed by Sept. 30 to avoid a government shutdown.
This fall, we’re going to pass the SAVE Act, protect election integrity, and dare Democrats to explain why they think foreigners should be able to vote in America. pic.twitter.com/tJs5BtLHnn Senate Minority Leader mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has been working behind the scenes to persuade Republicans to drop demands for a short-term funding bill that includes the SAVE Act. McConnell’s team has expressed concerns that such a move could alienate voters just a month before the November elections by causing a government shutdown. His staffers also say that tying the SAVE Act to the funding bill could allow Democrats to introduce their own voting-related legislation. According to an analysis by the Bipartisan Policy Center, the SAVE Act requires “significant changes to each step of the voter registration process,” including voter registration methods, identity verification, and list maintenance procedures. The organization notes that these changes would be “costly and time-consuming,” potentially taking months, if not years, to implement. Other voting rights advocates warn that over nine percent of American citizens of voting age, or roughly 21.3 million people, do not have readily available proof of citizenship. Nevertheless, proponents of combining the two pieces of legislation argue that all politicians should support measures ensuring election integrity and believe that Democrats opposing the bill should be required to explain their stance.
— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) August 26, 2024
This fall, we’re going to pass the SAVE Act, protect election integrity, and dare Democrats to explain why they think foreigners should be able to vote in America. pic.twitter.com/tJs5BtLHnn “Current election security standards are not sufficient, considering the Biden administration’s failure to secure our southern border,” Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) said in a statement about the bill. “Nearly 5 million illegal aliens have been released into our country and, in many states, can easily bypass the weak enforcement mechanisms put in place to bar noncitizens from voting in our federal elections,” he added. “The SAVE Act will ensure that only Americans can participate in American elections, increasing public trust and confidence.”
— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) August 26, 2024
