WASHINGTON D.C (VINnews) — President Trump on Sunday called on Congress to pass legislation requiring documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration in federal elections, suggesting a name change to the “SAVE America Act” for added emphasis.Speaking to House Republicans, Trump endorsed the measure, originally known as the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which would prohibit states from accepting or processing voter registration applications for federal elections without such proof. He described the proposal as “common sense” and said it has his “total endorsement.”

“The SAVE America Act! I think we’re going to change the name a little bit,” Trump said, according to remarks captured in video clips shared widely online. “You’re going to put that up for a vote? I think everybody in this room certainly should do it.”

Trump argued that opposition to voter ID requirements and related measures indicates impropriety. “When somebody says, no, we don’t want voter ID, that means they’re crooked. And the public understands it,” he added. “You win elections with that.”

The SAVE Act, reintroduced in the current Congress as H.R. 22, would amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to mandate that applicants provide documentary proof of citizenship, such as a U.S. passport, certain military records indicating U.S. birthplace, or a government-issued photo ID paired with a birth certificate or similar document showing U.S. origin.

Proponents, including Trump and many Republicans, say the bill is needed to prevent noncitizen voting — which is already illegal under federal law and punishable by fines, imprisonment or deportation — and to restore public confidence in elections.

The legislation passed the House in 2025 but stalled in the Senate. It requires states to reject applications lacking proof, establish programs to identify and remove noncitizens from voter rolls, and create alternative processes for cases involving discrepancies, such as name changes.

Critics, including voting rights groups and Democrats, argue the bill could disenfranchise millions of eligible U.S. citizens who lack ready access to required documents. Studies have estimated that tens of millions of Americans, particularly married women who changed their surnames, young voters, rural residents and people of color, may not have passports or matching birth certificates readily available. Previous state-level experiments with similar requirements, such as in Kansas, were struck down in court after blocking thousands of valid registrations, with noncitizen registrations found to be extremely rare.

Trump’s renewed push comes amid ongoing debates over election integrity, including his March 2025 executive order directing changes to federal registration processes to include citizenship verification, which has faced legal challenges.

The bill’s fate remains uncertain in the Senate, where a filibuster would require 60 votes for advancement under current rules.

Trump’s comments were made during a Republican gathering focused on legislative priorities ahead of the 2026 midterms. He emphasized that the measure includes elements “almost equal to voter ID” and framed support for it as a winning political issue.

Jooish News

Jooish News