A House Republican has introduced a bill requiring voters to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote. While the GOP argues that the measure is a "common-sense" effort to prevent noncitizen voting, civil rights organizations warn it could disenfranchise U.S. citizens lacking the necessary documents.
The bill, titled the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, was introduced by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), a staunch conservative and Policy Chair of the House Freedom Caucus. Apart from requiring proof of citizenship, the SAVE Act would also eliminate mail registration, as it requires voters to present their proof of citizenship in person.
