McCaul supports legislation requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman emeritus of the House Committee on Homeland Security, voted for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act today. The legislation, which McCaul also cosponsored, aims to strengthen federal law by requiring proof of American citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections.

“President Biden’s open border policies and mass amnesty efforts are destroying the fabric of our nation," said Rep. McCaul. "It’s no surprise he and radical Democrats oppose the SAVE Act, commonsense legislation to ensure only American citizens have a say in federal elections. I’m proud to support this must-pass bill to close loopholes that invite fraudulent non-citizen voting, restore Americans’ confidence in U.S. elections, and provide another line of defense against the Biden White House’s attempts to win elections by whatever means necessary.”

Federal law under the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 states that it is illegal for non-citizens to vote in federal elections. However, the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) does not require states to verify citizenship upon registration. This has led to instances of noncitizen voting in several states, including Massachusetts, Ohio, and Virginia.

The SAVE Act seeks to amend the NVRA by:

- Requiring proof of citizenship — in person — when registering to vote in federal elections; and

- Providing states with access to existing federal databases and mandating them to remove noncitizens from their rolls.