WASHINGTON, D.C. — House Republicans are reviving a controversial election bill they say is about trust in the ballot box, but Democrats call it outright voter suppression.
The SAVE Act is back in the spotlight. Supporters say it’s a simple idea: require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.
Even though noncitizens are already barred from voting, Republicans argue the law would close loopholes and restore confidence.
“It would be the way to get through any sort of doubt that exists in the system,” said Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y. “People don’t want to see noncitizens voting in our elections… It’s just asking to be who you say that you are.”
The bill would create a national standard, requiring a birth certificate, passport or similar document before registering.
“Everyone should want it. I don’t understand the allergy to it if you’re not using nefarious purposes,” Langworthy said.
The bill would also mandate removing noncitizens from federal voter rolls.
“We’re just looking to make sure that, you know, every American’s vote counts and is not canceled because of fraud and abuse,” said Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa.
The SAVE Act has passed the House multiple times, and even with a Republican-controlled Senate, it would still need Democratic support to reach the 60-vote threshold in order to pass. That support, however, is extremely unlikely.
“The SAVE Act is dead on arrival in the Senate,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
Democrats say the legislation is deeply restrictive and turns the clock back over 100 years.
“The SAVE Act is nothing more than Jim Crow 2.0,” Schumer said. “It has nothing to do with protecting our elections and everything to do with federalizing voter suppression.”
Voting rights groups warn the bill could block millions of Americans from the ballot. According to the Brennan Center for Justice and partner organizations, as many as 21 million eligible voters don’t have easy access to citizenship documents.
“If you’re one of tens of millions of Americans who does not have access to your birth certificate, or if you’re one of the 50% of Americans who don’t have a passport yet, the SAVE Act could make it impossible for you to participate in elections,” Schumer said. “If the SAVE Act were to become law, online registration, registration by mail and registration drives would become a thing of the past.”
According to a 2025 Pew Research Center survey, 83% of Americans support requiring all voters to show government-issued photo ID to vote.
