What Will the SAVE Act Actually Do?

Written by Jiwoo Park

Image from NPR

Tuesday night was the State of Union Address when Trump broke the record for the longest address in modern history. Throughout the almost 2 hour long address, he commended veterans and celebrated the US men’s hockey team for their gold medal win at the Olympics. Besides celebrations, Trump also urged funding to be returned to the DHS, praised his tough border policy, and emphasized the “golden age” economy. Most importantly, he called Congress to pass the SAVE America Act.

Officially titled the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, this bill has been a point of contention, with Republicans praising it as an election safety measure and Democrats opposing it. For years, Trump has falsely claimed there is widespread voter fraud, contributing to the false belief that he won the 2020 election. As a solution to these alleged problems, the SAVE Act will require Americans to show proof of citizenship to vote in elections. On the surface, the SAVE Act might seem like a bill that would reduce voter fraud or cheating, but the consequences of this bill will affect millions of Americans.

Here is what the legislation will actually do.

• Amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections. It would require either a REAL ID, passport, military ID card and records of service, government-issued photo ID that shows place of birth, or other forms of ID accompanied by a birth certificate.

• Require mailed in voter registration forms to present proof of citizenship in person.

• Direct states to establish processes for individuals who cannot access proof of citizenship. Officials will have to sign an affidavit and affirm a person’s citizenship.

• Require voters to show photo ID to cast a ballot (change from previous iterations of the SAVE Act)

However, 3.8 million Americans do not have access to their passport, birth certificate, or other forms of identification required under the SAVE Act. Moreover, Americans who have changed their names will be ineligible for voting. This includes around 80% of married women who chose to take their spouse’s last name. Election experts and congresspeople have stated that the SAVE Act aims to solve an almost non-existent problem. Because requirements for voter registration are already strict, there are negligible instances of non-citizen voting. A review of the 2024 election found that non-citizens made up 0.00028% of Michigan’s total votes. Other states similarly found near-zero instances of non-citizens voting in federal elections.

Republicans have defended these measures as common sense policies for secure elections. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson stated, “these are very important things to ensure that our elections are free and fair and safe, and that’s a critical component of maintaining the constitutional republic.” On the other side, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stated, “[The SAVE Act] has nothing to do with protecting our elections and everything to do with federalizing voter suppression…the SAVE Act is nothing more than Jim Crow 2.0.”

The SAVE Act will disproportionately harm minorities, incorrectly representing the nation’s political choices. Even before the SAVE Act, in the 2024 election, nearly 5 million voters were wrongfully purged from polls due to anti-immigrant disinformation, over 2 million mail-in ballots were disqualified, and more than 1 million provisional ballots were rejected. Latino and other voters of color were disproportionately affected, and the SAVE Act will worsen these problems. With these provisions, mail-in voting and online voter registration processes will essentially be destroyed, and eligible citizens will be disqualified from voting.

Facts clarify that the SAVE Act will not be one that advances democracy, so the question becomes why are Republicans so adamant on passing this act?

Many critics believe the SAVE Act is for political self-preservation. The SAVE Act fits into Trump’s strategy to undermine the 2026 midterms and other future elections. Just one month ago, Trump stated that Republicans must win the 2026 midterms or Democrats would “find a reason to impeach me.” In Trump’s perspective, impeachment or other forms of checks on his power are not basic accountability but a threat. Rhetoric like this suggests that maintaining power is the primary motivation behind the SAVE Act.

Trump has also repeatedly called on Republicans to “nationalize” elections, signaling an effort to shift control away from states and local election officials toward a centralized framework. Decentralized elections serve as a safeguard against political interference and manipulation. Interestingly, Trump’s goal to nationalize elections acts against the stated intent of the SAVE Act.

Together, these developments suggest that the SAVE Act is a part of a broader strategy that prioritizes partisan control. Rather than strengthening democracy, the bill risks narrowing it.