Utah Senator Mike Lee and Texas Congressman Chip Roy have introduced the “Save America Act” in the Senate and House, building on their original SAVE Act by incorporating President Trump’s call for voter ID requirements alongside proof-of-citizenship mandates to ensure only American citizens decide federal elections. The legislation aims to fortify election integrity and prevent non-citizen voting, reflecting a renewed conservative push to protect the ballot box from fraud and foreign influence.

The SAVE America Act expands the framework of the original Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, introduced by Lee and Roy in 2023, by adding explicit federal voter ID rules while keeping the core citizenship verification requirements. It will require states to:

  • Require voters to show an eligible photo ID document before casting a ballot in federal elections.
  • Obtain proof of citizenship in person when someone registers to vote.
  • Remove non-citizens from existing voter rolls.

These provisions aim to close loopholes that allow non-citizens to register or vote in federal elections, with states required to cross-reference registration data against federal citizenship databases (DHS, SSA) and implement photo ID checks at polling places. The legislation also directs the Department of Justice to investigate allegations of non-citizen voting more aggressively and includes penalties for states that fail to comply, such as withholding federal election funds.

Senator Lee explained the rationale in a statement: “The Save America Act makes our original Save Act better. President Trump rightly believes we should include Voter ID in this bill as we make a renewed push to secure our elections and protect the rights of American voters. By requiring Voter ID and proof-of-citizenship, the Save America Act will ensure that our federal elections are decided by U.S. citizens and U.S. citizens alone.”

The legislation has a stronger path now with Republican control of Congress, though it must still clear the Senate filibuster or be attached to must-pass bills.