The right to vote is one of the most sacred responsibilities of American citizenship. It is the foundation of our constitutional republic—and it must be protected at all costs.
Federal law already makes it clear: foreign nationals and noncitizens are prohibited from voting in U.S. federal elections or contributing to campaigns. Yet despite this, noncitizens continue to unlawfully register to vote, threatening the integrity of our elections and diluting the voices of American citizens.
With the over 8.8 million illegal immigrants that have illegally come across our southern border thanks to President Biden’s open border policies, including more than 394 illegal aliens on the terrorist watchlist, it is vital we shore up our election security and ensure that only American citizens are voting in American elections.
That’s why House Republicans are taking action to safeguard our elections. We passed legislation requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote and empowering states to remove noncitizens from voter rolls. These commonsense measures are critical to restoring trust in our elections and ensuring that only Americans decide America’s future.
I proudly support Rep. Chip Roy’s bill, H.R. 22—the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act—which would amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require documented proof of U.S. citizenship in order to register to vote in federal elections. This is about protecting your voice—and defending our nation’s sovereignty.
Election integrity isn’t a partisan issue—it’s an American one. We must secure our elections before it’s too late.
I wanted to clear the air on the SAVE Act:
MYTH: “The SAVE Act would prohibit married women – or anyone who has changed their name – from voting.”
FACT: This is fake news. Under the SAVE Act, those individuals (i.e. most) who have updated their documentary proof of citizenship (which can include things like a REAL ID, passport, or government-issued identification with their place of birth), no action is needed, and they can register to vote. For the small fraction of individuals who have not yet updated their documentation to reflect a name change, which most do immediately for other life purposes, the SAVE Act explicitly directs states to establish a process for them to register to vote irrespective of those discrepancies. Like other areas of the law, citizens will be able to use combinations of existing identification documents, certificates of birth from the state, and other similar documentation to demonstrate citizenship. No one will be left unable to register to vote due to a name change.
MYTH: “The SAVE Act would require everyone to have a U.S. passport to register to vote.”
FACT: The SAVE Act merely requires documentary proof of United States citizenship to register to vote. This is not just limited to passports, but can include: a REAL ID (in use in all 50 states now), a US military ID card together with paperwork showing place of birth was in the United States, and any valid government issued identification card issued by Federal, State, or Tribal government showing the applicants place of birth was in the U.S.
MYTH: “In federal elections, we have no evidence of illegals voting.”
FACT: There is ample evidence of non-US citizens registering to vote. One 2014 study of the 2008 and 2010 elections found that non-citizens voted and likely impacted the outcome in several races. Virginia removed 1,481 voter registrations for “non-citizen status.” In 2014, North Carolina conducted a study that found over 1,400 registered voters on its rolls appeared to be non-citizens. Numerous states and local jurisdictions are actively seeking to register non-citizens in their elections. One illegal ballot cast is one too many and can impact the outcome of tight elections.
MYTH: “The SAVE Act is unnecessary because it is already illegal for non-citizens to vote.”
FACT: While only U.S. citizens can legally vote in Federal elections, the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) effectively stops states from checking citizenship during registration, preventing the law from being enforced. The
SAVE Act is needed to require states to verify US citizenship when registering individuals to vote in federal elections, give states the tools to remove non-citizens from their voter rolls, and penalize officials that register non-citizens.
MYTH: ‘The SAVE Act will make it impossible for U.S. Servicemembers to vote if deployed aboard.”
FACT: This bill does not amend the Uniformed Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) and leaves in place existing procedures and safeguards for servicemembers abroad to vote absentee in federal elections.
MYTH: “The SAVE Act is unconstitutional and violates the principles of federalism.”
FACT: The Elections Clause, the Naturalization Clause, and the 15th, 19th, 24th, and 26th amendments clearly give Congress the authority to enact the SAVE Act. The SAVE Act is a narrow bill that simply strengthens the law that has governed the federal voter registration process for 30 years – the NVRA – by requiring states to verify citizenship for registration in federal elections.
