Last Friday, Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21) reintroduced the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act to protect U.S. elections (H.R. 22, 119th Congress).
Millions of illegal aliens remain in our country illegally and many have been given the opportunity to register to vote in federal elections. The SAVE Act would thwart Democrat efforts to cement one-party rule by upholding and strengthening current law that permits only U.S. citizens to vote in Federal elections.
Representative Roy said, “American elections belong to American citizens, and the public’s confidence in those elections is the cornerstone of our republic. We in Congress have a duty to our fellow citizens to provide that confidence and put concrete enforcement in place to ensure that our elections and our sovereignty cannot be hijacked and influenced by foreign nationals who have no business voting in this country. That’s why I am proud to reintroduce the SAVE Act with my friends Senator Mike Lee and Representative Andrew Garbarino. The House passed this critical bipartisan bill last year – I look forward to working with the Republican Senate to put this policy on President Trump’s desk.”
The SAVE Act would protect and preserve the right of American citizens to vote by:
- Requiring states to obtain proof of citizenship – in person – before registering an individual to vote for a Federal election.
- Requiring states to remove non-citizens from existing voter rolls, while giving them necessary tools to do so.
Senator Mike Lee, the author of the companion legislation in the Senate, said, “Public trust in the integrity of our elections is absolutely essential for the legitimacy of our democratic institutions. A vast majority of our countrymen agree: only American citizens should be able to register and vote in American elections. The SAVE Act gives states the ability to prevent illegal voter registration and protect the ballot box from foreign election interference.”
The legislation passed the House on a bipartisan basis last Congress before being blocked by Senate Democrats.
“It’s common sense that only American citizens should decide American elections, a principle grounded in the Constitution,” said Rep. Garbarino, who is co-leading the effort with Rep. Roy in the House. “Despite this, places like New York City have disregarded this standard by allowing non-citizens to vote in local elections. The SAVE Act upholds the integrity of our elections by requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote, ensuring this fundamental right is reserved exclusively for American citizens.”
Cosponsors of the bill include Representatives Andrew Garbarino (NY-2), Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), Brad Finstad (MN-1), Andrew Clyde (GA-9), Clay Higgins (LA-3), Diana Harshberger (TN-1), Nancy Mace (SC-1), Kat Cammack (FL-3), Eric Burlison (MO-7), Andrew Ogles (TN-5), Harriet Hageman (WY-At Large), Russ Fulcher (ID-1), Troy Nehls (TX-22), Keith Self (TX-3), Gary Palmer (AL-6), Eli Crane (AZ-2), Wesley Hunt (TX-38), Andy Biggs (AZ-5), Ben Cline (VA-6), Ralph Norman (SC-5), Michael Cloud (TX-27), Josh Brecheen (OK-2), Dan Crenshaw (TX-2), August Pfluger (TX-11), Jake Ellzey (TX-6), Rick Allen (GA-12), Neal Dunn (FL-2), Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Ron Estes (KS-4), Jodey Arrington (TX-19), Michael McCaul (TX-10), Claudia Tenney (NY-24), Andy Harris (MD-1), Burgess Owens (UT-4), Mike Bost (IL-12), Randy Feenstra (IA-4), Tom McClintock (CA-5), Chuck Edwards (NC-11), William Timmons (SC-4), Nathaniel Moran (TX-1), Scott Perry (PA-10), Erin Houchin (IN-9), Paul Gosar (AZ-9), Brian Babin (TX-36), Mary Miller (IL-15), Randy Weber (TX-14), Anna Paulina Luna (FL-13), Barry Moore (AL-3), Michael Lawler (NY-17), Jefferson Van Drew (NJ-2), Tom Tiffany (WI-7), John Moolenaar (MI-2), Roger Williams (TX-25), Michelle Fischbach (MN-7), Tom Emmer (MN-6), Nick Langworthy (NY-23), Pete Session (TX-17), Sheri Biggs (SC-3), David Taylor (OH-2), and Mike Collins (GA-10).
Comments from supporting organizations:
Cleta Mitchell, founder of the Only Citizens Vote Coalition: “America’s elections must be lawful, fair, and free from fraud. The SAVE Act is a vital safeguard to ensure that only citizens vote in our elections—because every illegal ballot cancels out the voice of a lawful citizen voter. The House of Representatives set the standard in 2024 by passing this commonsense, bipartisan legislation, and it’s absolutely critical that Congress continue that momentum in 2025. The integrity of our elections—and the trust of the American people in our elections—depend on it.
Last year we built a national coalition of organizations and citizens who support only citizens voting in U.S. elections. We are eager to mobilize even greater numbers of citizens to support passage of the SAVE Act and to put it on President Trump’s desk for signature as soon as possible.”
Heritage Action Executive Vice President Ryan Walker: “The right to vote is one of Americans’ most sacred privileges, making the integrity of our elections an issue of paramount importance for our country. It should be a no-brainer to require proof of citizenship to vote. Congress must take action to prevent non-citizens from participating in elections, safeguarding the vote of the American people. The SAVE Act is the common-sense solution that will help restore confidence in the integrity of our electoral system, and Heritage Action urges members of Congress who support free and fair elections to support it.”
Jenny Beth Martin, Honorary Chairman, Tea Party Patriots Action: “Tea Party Patriots Action strongly supports the SAVE Act, and we thank Senator Lee and Congressman Roy for reintroducing it. The SAVE Act — which would simply require states to obtain documentary proof of citizenship and identity before registering someone to vote in a federal election — is a powerful fix to ensure election integrity.
“Under the Biden administration, the integrity of our elections has been gravely threatened by the flood of millions of illegal aliens, many of whom now reside in states where they are allowed and encouraged to register for driver’s licenses — and where many may, even inadvertently, improperly register to vote. By requiring states to obtain documentary proof of citizenship before allowing someone to register to vote, we could vastly reduce that threat.
“Last year, Tea Party Patriots Action commissioned John McLaughlin’s survey research company to conduct an election integrity poll. We learned that 87% of Americans agree that ‘proof of U.S. citizenship should be required to register to vote in American elections,’ and 79% agree that ‘foreigners should be prohibited from interfering, including voting, in U.S. elections.’
“This is a bipartisan issue that deserves a real solution. The SAVE Act is that solution, and, consequently, the House and Senate should pass it expeditiously.”
Chris Chmielenski, the President of the Immigration Accountability Project: “The Immigration Accountability Project strongly supports the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, introduced by Rep. Chip Roy and Sen. Mike Lee. Federal agencies and state DMVs offer voter registration forms to everyone with whom they come in contact, regardless of their citizenship. That dramatically increases the chances that some of the estimated 30 million noncitizens living in the United States—including illegal aliens—will register to vote and vote in upcoming elections. The SAVE Act, which would require proof of US citizenship when registering to vote, is a common-sense solution to ensure that noncitizens are not allowed to register to vote, and thus cannot dilute the votes of American citizens.”
AMAC Action Chairwoman Rebecca Weber: “Our country has seen an influx of millions of illegal immigrants because of Joe Biden’s open borders policy. Some of these non-citizens are granted access to driver’s licenses and other benefits in several states, creating opportunities for illegal voter registration in federal elections.
The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act presents a crucial solution to this pressing issue and thwarts efforts by some to manipulate our electoral system for political gain. By amending the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) to mandate documentary proof of U.S. citizenship and identity in person for individuals registering to vote in federal elections, this legislation reinforces the fundamental requirement that only citizens may participate in our democratic processes.
Furthermore, the SAVE Act’s directive for states to establish programs to remove non-citizens from existing voter rolls, coupled with granting states no-cost access to pertinent federal databases, underscores a proactive approach to safeguarding the sanctity of our elections.
AMAC’s over 2 million members recognize the importance of the SAVE Act as instrumental in preserving election integrity and on their behalf, AMAC Action offers our strong support for this important legislation.”
Mike Davis, Founder and President of the Article III Project: “The SAVE Act is essential to preserve the rule of law and counteract the significant impact of illegal immigration. This is more important than ever, because since Joe Biden took office, over 10 million illegal aliens crossed our borders.
Many states issue driver’s licenses to these aliens, and visits to the DMV can inadvertently result in automatic voter registration. By requiring proof of citizenship, the SAVE Act ensures that only eligible voters participate in our elections, protecting the votes of American citizens.”
The full text of the legislation can be read here.