While much of the political world watches the Biden-Trump fisticuffs, the House of Representatives voted “yea” on the most critical legislation of 2024: the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, which takes vital steps to ensure that only Americans vote in American elections.
Foreign nationals are already illegally on voter rolls across 50 states (and the District of Columbia and territories where voters participate in electing the president) thanks to loopholes in the National Voter Registration Act that do not require documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration.
The evidence of foreign nationals voting in U.S. elections is clear. Decades of research into voter rolls and federal law have established these facts. One study shows that it has been going on at least since 2008.
A recent report from House Speaker Mike Johnson clearly shows that noncitizen voting is a serious danger to election integrity, national security and voter confidence.
Johnson and Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, the bill’s principal author, shepherded the SAVE Act through the House. It is now in the hands of Sen. Mike Lee of Utah. We now call on all Senate members to pass it and for President Biden to withdraw his veto threat.
The SAVE Act will close many loopholes being exploited to register foreign nationals. For example, when noncitizens comply with the “honor system” on federal registration forms and answer “no” to the citizenship question, many states register them automatically. And there are vast numbers of undocumented aliens and noncitizen residents automatically being added to state voter lists when getting driver’s licenses or filing for public assistance — often without realizing it is happening,
Ballots intended for noncitizens illegally registered are susceptible to exploitative manipulation by the advocacy groups that got them registered. This act of illegal voting also subjects these individuals to deportation or being refused citizenship during the naturalization process.
By requiring states to obtain proof of citizenship to register to vote, the SAVE Act stops all of this. Among its many common-sense measures, the act requires state election officials to confirm citizenship status before providing voter registration forms or adding people to the voter rolls.
The bill helps citizens by accepting various documents to register to vote in federal elections.
The act supports America’s newest citizens by requiring the Department of Homeland Security to notify a state chief election official whenever an individual has been naturalized to ensure they can exercise their right to vote.
The act deters illegal ballot harvesting operations by directing DHS to conduct removal proceedings if a noncitizen has been identified as having registered to vote in federal elections.
These are common-sense measures that Americans of every political persuasion support. Yet, House Democrats, ignoring their constituents’ wishes, steadfastly oppose the bill.
The SAVE Act is an excellent start to a long-overdue need to fix a national voter registration system that never contemplated a federal government ignoring our immigration laws. It is a common-sense response to years of state and federal officials ignoring the growing problem of foreign nationals influencing American elections.
No matter one’s political views, all Americans deserve to have their votes secured, not canceled or stolen by foreign nationals flooding the voter rolls.
As if Americans’ heads aren’t spinning enough with the latest crisis engulfing the executive branch and with millions pouring into the country illegally from more than 150 countries, the threat of foreigners influencing America’s elections in 2024 is not theoretical. It is real.
The SAVE Act can help calm the waters of a nation in crisis.
Cleta Mitchell is co-founder of Only Citizens Vote Coalition.
Reprinted with Permission from DC Journal – By Cleta Mitchell
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AMAC or AMAC Action.