The House passed a bill on Wednesday that mandates proof of citizenship for voter registration.
The proposal, championed by Republicans, addresses election integrity despite research indicating that noncitizens rarely register or vote illegally in federal elections, Associated Press reported.
The legislation, passed mostly along party lines with five Democrats joining Republicans, faces slim chances in the Democratic-controlled Senate. The Biden administration has voiced strong opposition, citing existing safeguards against noncitizen voting.
The vote allows Republicans to highlight border and election security issues – two core elements of their platform.
It also amplifies former President Donald Trump's allegations that Democrats are facilitating illegal voting by noncitizens. But this claim has no substantial evidence. Federal and state laws prohibit noncitizens from voting in federal and statewide elections.
Although isolated cases of noncitizens registering and voting have been documented, such instances are rare and often unintentional. States have varied mechanisms to detect and prevent these occurrences.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, a primary advocate for the bill, claimed Democratic opposition indicates a desire to allow noncitizens to vote.
He labeled the vote a "generation-defining moment" and warned that illegal votes could significantly alter election outcomes.
Trump, via his Truth Social platform, urged Republicans to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, adding that Democrats are pushing for noncitizen voting rights.
Critics, including voting rights advocates, argue the bill is redundant since noncitizen voting is already a felony.
They also highlight potential disenfranchisement of U.S. citizens lacking immediate access to proof of citizenship, such as birth certificates or passports.
Rep. Joe Morelle, a leading Democrat on the House Administration Committee, expressed concerns during the floor debate about disenfranchising military personnel abroad, married women with name changes, Native Americans with non-standard IDs, and disaster survivors without personal documents. He viewed the bill as part of a broader Republican effort to undermine election integrity.
Supporters of the bill claim that the surge in illegal border crossings necessitates stringent measures to prevent noncitizens from voting. Rep. Bryan Steil, chair of the House Administration Committee, said that each illegal vote negates a legitimate one.
If enacted, the bill would require states to remove noncitizens from voter rolls and necessitate new applicants to present documentary proof of citizenship.
States would need to establish alternative evidence provisions for those unable to provide standard documentation.
The House vote follows the Republican National Committee's release of its party platform, which prioritizes border security and opposes granting voting rights to undocumented migrants.
