Republicans are advancing the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, a bill that would mandate proof of citizenship for voting, citing concerns over illegal voting by noncitizens despite opposition from Democrats. The Associated Press (AP) has acknowledged instances of foreign nationals illegally registering and voting. However, it insists that the SAVE Act is not necessary.
AP reporter Ali Swenson states that “the specter of immigrants voting illegally in the U.S. has erupted into a leading election-year talking point for Republicans.” Although Swenson concedes that there have been incidents of noncitizens registering and voting illegally, she argues that federal law already prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections and suggests that cases of illegal voting by noncitizens are not occurring in significant numbers. She also insists that states already have measures to counteract such actions.
Critics of the current system, however, note that the federal government does not require documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration. Federal voter registration forms only require individuals to affirm their citizenship by checking a box, effectively making the process reliant on the honor system.
Democrats oppose the SAVE Act, arguing that additional ID requirements could disenfranchise eligible voters who might not have immediate access to documents such as birth certificates or Social Security cards. Swenson cited a left-leaning activist who contended that IDs like Social Security numbers or driver’s licenses already entail proof of citizenship. Proponents of the SAVE Act argue that if such IDs already reflect citizenship status, requiring them should not constitute disenfranchisement.
Earlier this month, the National Pulse reported that not only are illegal aliens voting, but they are also three times more likely to vote for Democrats.
