“The SAVE Act will safeguard our elections by ensuring only American citizens vote in federal elections,” Johnson posted on X/Formely Twitter.
According to Johnson, who went on to post a statement, the act facilitates voter registration by accepting a broad range of documents that enable the process for citizens, he wrote, and the SAVE Act also grants states access to federal agency databases to verify citizenship and remove noncitizens from voter rolls.
“Requires state election officials to ask about citizenship before providing voter registration forms,”he wrote.
Additionally, Johnson reported that it directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to consider removal proceedings for noncitizens found registered to vote in federal elections and mandates DHS notification to state election officials upon new citizens’ naturalization, ensuring their voting rights are promptly acknowledged.
“Requires DHS to notify a state chief election official whenever an individual has been naturalized to ensure our newest citizens are able to exercise their right to vote,” Johnson posted.
In late June, Johnson and House GOP leaders pushed for a vote on the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act in July, aiming to enhance protections against noncitizens voting. The bill, initially championed by Rep. Chip Roy and endorsed by former President Trump, addresses concerns about illegal voting facilitated by the National Voter Registration Act’s (NVRA) lax citizenship verification requirements. Johnson’s 22-page memo argues that recent policies under the Biden administration have exacerbated the issue by weakening border security. It cites examples from Massachusetts, Virginia, and Ohio where noncitizens were reportedly purged from voter rolls after having illegally cast ballots. Critics, primarily Democrats, contend that the SAVE Act duplicates existing laws barring noncitizen voting. The vote’s timing, strategically placed months before the 2024 presidential election, underscores its political significance in the ongoing debate over election integrity and immigration policies.
The 22-page report argues there is “irrefutable evidence” that noncitizens have voted illegally in U.S. elections, placing blame with the 1993 National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).
According to a critical foundational memo cited by Fox News the Virginia Department of Elections removed nearly 1,500 people from its voter rolls since May 2023 due to “non-citizen status.” Citing an Electoral Process Education Corp. report, the memo said 335 people have cast ballots in the last four years in Virginia elections.
The report says that despite this one clean-up, there are concerns as over 800 ballots were cast by individuals marked as non-citizens since 2019, potentially invalidating legal votes. The Electoral Process Education Corporation (EPEC) identified these discrepancies, prompting inquiries into prosecutorial actions, revealing no records of prosecution for illegal voting in Virginia. This has spurred election security concerns, particularly regarding proposed bills awaiting Governor Glenn Youngkin’s decision, including HB 26, which expands acceptable voter identification forms, and bills potentially complicating identification distinctions between citizens and non-citizens. These developments underscore ongoing debates about voter integrity and legislative efforts to safeguard election processes amid documented irregularities.
“Earlier this year, in Massachusetts, Boston Election Department officials disclosed to the Public Interest Legal Foundation that the city had removed 70 non-citizens from the city’s election rolls,” reads the Johnson memo.
Additionally, Ohio’s Republican Secretary of State recently ordered over 130 people to be removed from the state’s voter list, the memo says, adding, “Ohio law imposes a very high bar before a county board of elections can remove someone from the rolls due to noncitizenship.”
Democratic critics of the SAVE Act have argued that it is unnecessary because it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections.
A House vote this month would be significant, coming less than six months before Trump’s White House rematch with President Biden.
Read the full Johnson memo: LINK
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