SAVE America Act requires proof of citizenship to vote, but faces hurdles in Senate

On Feb. 11, U.S. House Republicans passed the SAVE America Act, which would change federal requirements for voter registration.

President Donald Trump said on the campaign trail that he wanted to require proof of citizenship to vote, and after taking office for a second term, he called on Congress to pass this legislation. But it is unlikely to draw enough support in the Senate.

The SAVE America Act would require people to provide documentary proof of citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, when registering to vote. The bill would also accept a Real ID driver's license if it indicates citizenship, but most states don't offer such a license.

The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law said more than 21 million Americans who are eligible to vote do not have ready access to those documents. 

Trump has tried to establish a similar proof of citizenship requirement on his own. His March 25 executive order directed the Election Assistance Commission to take action within 30 days so that the national voter registration form would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. But judges blocked key portions of that executive order.

Federal law already prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections, and cases of noncitizens voting are rare. If they vote, noncitizens risk deportation, fines or jail. When people register to vote, they sign a form attesting that they are U.S. citizens.

Many Republican-led states are using a federal database to look for noncitizens on their voter rolls. They are finding small numbers that would not affect the outcome of a statewide election. Utah, for example, found only one confirmed noncitizen who voted out of 2 million voters. 

We will revisit this promise if Trump issues another order or the SAVE America Act reaches the Senate.

For now, we rate this Stalled.