The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act is a bill sponsored by Republican lawmakers, which looks to further regulate voter registration and voting requirements for federal elections. The bill requires U.S. citizens to prove their citizenship in person and carry a photo identification to vote.
Those who support the bill say it is necessary to ensure that noncitizens do not vote, while opponents feel the law disenfranchises millions of eligible voters, especially those who do not possess passports, birth certificates, or updated identification documents.
Why Are Republicans Pushing the Bill Now?
Years ago, Republicans tried to pass various versions of the SAVE America Act. The earlier versions had passed through the House of Representatives but stalled in the Senate due to a 60-vote majority needed to advance most legislation.
The current push comes at a time of heightened political debate surrounding issues of electoral integrity and the allegations of voter fraud, in spite of experts indicating that noncitizen voting does not appear to be widespread in the country. Republican leadership maintains that the bill meets a call by citizens who want stronger safeguards in the electoral process.
What Proof of Citizenship Would Be Required?
Under the proposed law, voters would need documentation showing they were born in the United States, including:
- A REAL ID–compliant government-issued ID indicating citizenship
- A U.S. passport
- A military ID and service record showing U.S. birth
- A government-issued photo ID showing place of birth in the U.S.
- Other government IDs accompanied by a birth certificate or naturalization document
Mail-in registrants would also need to present proof of citizenship in person, significantly altering current voter registration practices.
What Happens If Someone Cannot Provide Citizenship Documents?
The bill calls for states to establish procedures for those who are unable to document. A form of this would be to include a signed sworn statement under penalty of perjury attesting to citizenship, along with supporting evidence. State or local official must then sign an affidavit to confirm the person’s eligibility.
States would also have to cross-check voter rolls against federal and state databases, including but not limited to records from the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration, to identify noncitizens.
Would Photo ID Be Required to Vote?
Yes. The newest version of this bill proposes the mandatory need to present a photo ID before one can vote, including an absentee ballot that would need a copy of a photo ID.
In this case, identity documents that indicate citizenship will be required. However, if this information is not provided, additional documents will be needed to ascertain proof of citizenship, unless the state can verify this through federal records. Critics argue this proposed plan represents a ‘show-your-papers’ type of voting system.
Are Noncitizens Actually Voting in US Elections?
Yet federal law already prohibits voting in federal elections by people who are not citizens. The 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act punished voting by noncitizens with a prison sentence of up to one year.
Documented cases of noncitizen voting are statistically rare:
- Georgia (2024): 20 noncitizens among 8.2 million registered voters
- Ohio (2024): 597 registered noncitizens; 138 referred for investigation among 8.1 million voters
- Texas (2024): 2,724 potential noncitizens among 18.6 million voters
Some local jurisdictions in California, Maryland, Vermont, and Washington, D.C. allow noncitizens to vote in local elections, but not federal contests.
Why Are Democrats Calling the Bill Voter Suppression?
Democrats say that the SAVE Act limits voting, especially for marginalized groups, elderly citizens, poor people, rural citizens, and those who have changed their names after marriage.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer referred to this legislation as “dead on arrival” in the Senate and even referred to it as “Jim Crow 2.0,” alleging voter suppression by the Republican Party by federalizing voter suppression. He also went on to claim that the legislation will shut down voter registration conducted by mail, online, or in mass registration drives, and will even trigger massive voter roll purges.
How Many Americans Could Be Affected?
Based on a survey conducted in 2023 partially by the Brennan Center, the level of Americans without proof of citizenship documents stands at well over 3.8 million people. According to the State Department’s records as of 2025, the number of valid American passports stands at 170 million, which is nearly half the population of the U.S.A.
Why Do Republicans Say the Bill Is Common Sense?
Republicans argue that requiring proof of citizenship and photo ID is essential to secure elections and maintain public trust.
House Speaker Mike Johnson cited polling showing broad public support:
- 83% of Americans support requiring government-issued photo ID to vote (Pew Research, 2024)
- 83% also support proof of citizenship for first-time voters (Gallup, 2024)
Republicans argue such measures are critical for maintaining election integrity and safeguarding democratic institutions.
What Are Critics Saying About Implementation Risks?
The voting rights experts who have analyzed the legislation have expressed concern that the bill could lead to chaos for voting officials and bureaucratic problems. According to Eliza Sweren-Becker, who specializes in voting rights for the Brennan Center, the bill is “catastrophic for American voters” and
“a five-alarm fire for election administration.”
What Is the Broader Political Context?
The issue also overlaps with efforts by the Trump administration to acquire entire voter registration information data from all states, a move that similarly raises concerns about voter privacy. There have been court injunctions against accessing sensitive voter data in California and Oregon, among other states, while some states have ongoing lawsuits for failing to comply with administration requests. The issue encapsulates a wider ideological split on the issue between voting rights and election security, a situation that particularly affects the 2026 and 2028 electoral processes.
