House, Senate Republicans are revving up a Trump-backed campaign to end non-resident voting
FIRST ON FOX: Republican lawmakers in the House and Senate are renewing a push to limit non-resident voting in federal elections, reintroducing a bipartisan bill that was repeated last year by the GOP.
Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, reintroduced the American Voting Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which appears to ensure that non-citizens cannot vote in federal elections.
Although only citizens can vote in federal elections, Republicans say it’s impossible to enforce the law because noncitizens and illegal immigrants are eligible for driver’s licenses and other benefits in states, which can lead to voter registration.
LAKEN RILEY LAW PASSES HOUSE WITH 48 DEMS, ALL REPUBLICANS
People came to vote during early voting. (Christopher Mark Juhn/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The bill requires states to obtain documentary proof of US citizenship and personal identification when registering someone to vote. States are also required to establish a system to remove non-citizens from the voter rolls, and allow citizens to sue officials who fail to comply with the law.
The bill passed the House last year, with five Democrats voting in favor, but stalled in the Senate — where the Democrat-controlled chamber passed a spending bill without including the SAVE Act, as Republicans had hoped. President Biden had promised to veto the bill.
The bill has gained increasing importance among Republicans amid the surge in immigration to the US during the Biden administration, and recent announcements by states to list thousands of non-immigrants on their records.
But now Republicans control the Senate and soon the White House, where President-elect Trump has voiced support for legislation barring immigrants from voting.
SENATE PASSES FINANCIAL COMMUNICATIONS BILL WITHOUT FINAL LEGISLATION, AVOIDS SHUTDOWN
“Republicans must pass the SAVE Act, or go home and cry their heads off,” he said in July.
Roy, who introduced the bill in the House and Rep. Andrew Garbarino, R-NY., said, “American elections are for American citizens, and public confidence in those elections is the foundation of our republic.”
“We in the Congress have a duty to our citizens to give that trust. We must have concrete plans to ensure that our elections and our sovereignty will not be hijacked and influenced by foreigners who have no business voting in this country,” he said.
Representative Chip Roy nominated Rep. Jim Jordan to be the speaker before the third round of voting in the House chamber on Jan. 3, 2023. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
“The House passed this important bipartisan bill last year – we should do it again. I look forward to working with the Republican Senate to put this policy on President Trump’s desk,” he said.
Lee said public trust in the integrity of elections is “critical to the legitimacy of our democratic institutions.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE EXCLUSIVE DETAILS
“Most people in our country agree: only American citizens should register and vote in American elections. The SAVE Act gives states the power to prevent illegal voter registration and protect the ballot box from interference in foreign elections,” he said.
Garbarino, meanwhile, criticized New York City for ignoring the principle that American citizens decide their own elections by allowing non-citizens to vote in local elections.
“The SAVE Act supports the integrity of our elections by requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote, ensuring that this fundamental right is reserved only for American citizens,” he said.
The bill is also supported by groups including the Only Citizens Vote Coalition, Tea Party Patriots Action and the Immigration Accountability Project. It has 59 patrons in the house. The bill was introduced in the lower house on Friday and is expected to be introduced in the Senate next week.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS PROGRAM
The bill comes as Congress is expected to make immigration issues a top priority. On Tuesday, the House passed the Laken Riley Act, which would require immigration authorities to arrest illegal immigrants convicted of theft-related crimes. It would also allow states to sue the Department of Homeland Security for damages caused to their citizens by illegal immigration.
Fox News’ Julia Johnson and Liz Elkind contributed to this report.
