{"id":2342677,"date":"2024-09-18T07:39:01","date_gmt":"2024-09-18T11:39:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republicans-fight-for-citizenship-bill-that-would-reshape-elections-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-09-18T07:41:17","modified_gmt":"2024-09-18T11:41:17","slug":"republicans-fight-for-citizenship-bill-that-would-reshape-elections-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republicans-fight-for-citizenship-bill-that-would-reshape-elections-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Republicans fight for citizenship bill that would reshape elections &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Frepublicans-fight-for-citizenship-bill-that-would-reshape-elections-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2342677&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses the Republican Party&#8217;s push \u2063for the\u2064 Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE)\u200c Act, a\u200b bill aimed at\u200b preventing\u200d noncitizens from voting in elections. This initiative is seen as crucial \u200bwith the 2024 elections approaching, as GOP leaders claim that voter \u200dintegrity is a significant concern among \u2063their constituents. The SAVE Act would require proof of citizenship\u2062 for voter registration,\u2062 in contrast to the\u2062 current system, \u2064where \u200dindividuals simply check a\u200d box asserting\u2062 their citizenship. \u2062 <\/p>\n<p>Democrats, however, dispute the necessity of such measures, arguing that noncitizen voting is a nonexistent issue. Despite this, House Republicans are adamant that addressing the potential for noncitizen \u200dvoter fraud is essential. They cite instances where noncitizens have been found on \u200cvoter rolls, although \u200cdocumented cases of noncitizens actually voting are rare.<\/p>\n<p>The article highlights the political divide over voting regulations, particularly in the context of heightened\u200b sensitivity \u2064to voter \u2063fraud since the\u200c 2020 election, as \u2062well as the broader immigration concerns under the Biden\u200d administration. The \u200banalysis suggests that while the SAFE Act aligns with Republican priorities of secure elections and immigration control, Democrats view it as an unnecessary restriction. The ongoing debate\u2062 reflects deeper tensions\u200c regarding election integrity and voter access in \u200cAmerica.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Republicans fight for citizenship bill that would reshape elections<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1757111\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><em>Legal fights over election integrity are well underway with less than two months to go to the election. This&nbsp;<\/em>Washington Examiner<em>&nbsp;series,&nbsp;<strong>Legal Games<\/strong>, will look at Democratic attempts to make sure they don&rsquo;t have a repeat of 2016. Republican lawyers, meanwhile, are still spooked by what happened in the aftermath of 2020. Part 3 will look at why Republicans are fighting so hard for stronger policies to prevent noncitizens from voting while Democrats claim it is a nonissue.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>One of Republicans&rsquo; top priorities in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/congress\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Congress\">Congress<\/a> is preventing noncitizen participation in elections, a problem that Democrats argue is nonexistent.<\/p>\n<p>With the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2024-elections\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"2024\">2024<\/a> election quickly approaching, Republicans say it is a growing worry among their constituents and that a federal crackdown is the best way to eliminate their concerns.<\/p>\n<p>The solution, according to Republicans, is to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or SAVE, Act, a national proof of citizenship bill that Democrats largely oppose. The legislation is dead on arrival in the Democratic-controlled Senate, but House Republican leaders have made it their sole condition of passing a temporary funding bill to prevent a government shutdown.<\/p>\n<p>As that fight plays out in Congress this week, some legal and policy experts have also championed the SAVE Act, saying it would have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/federal-judge-tosses-cdcs-national-eviction-moratorium\/\" title=\"Federal Judge Tosses CDC\u2019s National Eviction Moratorium\">real-world consequences<\/a> to better secure elections.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;That is what we need,&rdquo; Chad Ennis, a longtime attorney and Honest Elections Project vice president, told the <em>Washington Examiner.<\/em> &ldquo;We need to require, like Arizona&rsquo;s tried &hellip; that when you register to vote, you show that you&rsquo;re a citizen as well, as part of your qualification.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The SAVE Act is a &lsquo;mainstream ideal&rsquo;<\/h2>\n<p>The SAVE Act encapsulates two issues that have dominated the Republican Party: secure elections and immigration.<\/p>\n<p>Republicans have since 2020 had a heightened sensitivity to voter fraud. In the last presidential election, when former President Donald Trump narrowly lost his race, the defeat came after many states loosened their voting laws on an emergency basis in the name of COVID-19.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, the Biden administration has been defined in part by exorbitant illegal migration numbers. Federal data <a href=\"https:\/\/judiciary.house.gov\/sites\/evo-subsites\/republicans-judiciary.house.gov\/files\/evo-media-document\/09-12-2024%20The%20Case%20of%20the%20Illegal%20Alien%20Who%20Brutally%20Assaulted%20a%20Developmentally%20Disabled%20Woman.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>indicate<\/a> that since President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took office, more than 5.6 million migrants who have crossed into the country illegally have been released into the United States, often under the promise that they will appear at a later date in an immigration court.<\/p>\n<p>Federal law prohibits all noncitizens from voting regardless of whether they are in the country legally or illegally. However, noncitizens have routinely appeared on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republicans-democrats-h-r-1-is-a-power-grab-would-undermine-states-election-rules\/\" title=\"Republicans: Democrats\u2019 H.R. 1 Is a Power Grab, Would Undermine States\u2019 Election Rules\">voter registration lists<\/a>, known as &ldquo;voter rolls,&rdquo; exacerbating anxieties about their abilities to access a federal ballot.<\/p>\n<p>The SAVE Act, backed by Trump, would require people who register to vote to provide documentation that they are a U.S. citizen when they register to vote. At present, they are only required to check off a box asserting that they are a citizen. The bill would also give election officials better access to federal databases that states currently have to pay to use.<\/p>\n<p>Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose told Congress in a hearing last week that in the last year alone, his office identified nearly 600 noncitizens who were registered to vote. Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) recently announced that because of diligent purging, 6,303 noncitizens had been removed from Virginia&rsquo;s voter rolls since January 2022. Other states, including <a href=\"https:\/\/gov.texas.gov\/news\/post\/governor-abbott-announces-over-1-million-ineligible-voters-removed-from-voter-rolls\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Texas<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.opb.org\/article\/2024\/09\/13\/noncitizens-registered-oregon-error\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Oregon<\/a>, have recently uncovered noncitizens on their voter registration lists.<\/p>\n<p>LaRose described &ldquo;list maintenance&rdquo; as one of a state administration&rsquo;s &ldquo;most important responsibilities&rdquo; and warned that sloppy voter rolls are what open the door for noncitizen voter fraud to occur.<\/p>\n<p>The documented incidents of noncitizens going as far as to cast a ballot are scant. A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heritage.org\/voterfraud\/search?combine=citizenship&amp;state=All&amp;year=&amp;case_type=All&amp;fraud_type=All&amp;page=0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>study<\/a> by the conservative Heritage Foundation, as well as records from the Department of Justice, indicate that in the last two decades, there exist a couple dozen cases of noncitizens voting. Studies by the CATO Institute, a libertarian think tank, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cato.org\/blog\/shedding-light-incidence-illegal-noncitizen-voting\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>found<\/a> that compared to the millions of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/audit-finds-michigan-failed-to-properly-update-voting-rolls-before-2020-election\/\" title=\"Audit Finds Michigan Failed to Properly Update Voting Rolls Before 2020 Election\">eligible voters casting ballots<\/a>, instances of noncitizens voting are so uncommon that their effects are negligible.<\/p>\n<p>But, House Republicans, who <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3149604\/house-hearing-witnesses-raise-alarm-noncitizen-voting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>hosted<\/a> two separate congressional hearings on the topic last week, have repeatedly asked their Democratic counterparts why they oppose stronger enforcement of the law, even if studies show it would not change the outcome of elections.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), a border state Republican, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> he &ldquo;absolutely&rdquo; supports the SAVE Act and that Democratic opposition to it is &ldquo;revealing.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;They&rsquo;ve refused to support its mainstream ideal, arguing&nbsp;there is zero problem,&rdquo; Issa said. &ldquo;But after only brief review, we know noncitizens have cast votes in our elections. My constituents tell me illegals voting is a concern, because it&rsquo;s wrong, and we know now it&rsquo;s not the hoax Democrats have claimed.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>A senior Republican aide observed that Democrats view election laws &ldquo;the way a big corporation looks at the tax law.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Every provision, regulation, and even word should be exploited to the fullest extent,&rdquo; the aide said, noting that requiring an up-front documented proof of citizenship would shut down an avenue of such exploitation.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Arizona case study<\/h2>\n<p>Arizona, a state that has for years been ravaged by illegal migration, is unique in that it is the only state to offer a glimpse into how the SAVE Act would translate in the election process.<\/p>\n<p>The 1993 National Voter Registration Act, also known as the &ldquo;motor voter&rdquo; law, required every state to use a common federal form to register people.<\/p>\n<p>However, Arizona offers an unusual state registration form in addition to the required federal form, resulting in a two-tiered voter registration system. The state form requires documented proof of citizenship from a registrant, while the federal form is the standard form offered across the country that has only the checkbox. If registered under the federal form without documented proof of citizenship, that voter can only participate in federal elections and not state or local elections.<\/p>\n<p>The state form was the centerpiece of a recent legal battle before the Supreme Court, in which Ennis&rsquo;s group and the Republican National Committee urged the high court to keep the state form option intact. Democrats and the Department of Justice fought against it. The Supreme Court sided with Republicans on the form question, though it denied other provisions.<\/p>\n<p>Amid the lawsuit, court papers revealed that about 42,000 people were registered under the federal form without having provided documented proof of citizenship. One study <a href=\"https:\/\/www.votebeat.org\/arizona\/2023\/12\/18\/arizona-federal-only-voters-concentrated-college-campuses-proof-of-citizenship\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>found<\/a> that many of these registrants were concentrated in areas of college campuses, suggesting they were students.<\/p>\n<p>During last week&rsquo;s hearings, Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, an elected Democrat, blasted his state&rsquo;s system for causing disenfranchisement and warned that the SAVE Act would cause this on a grander scale.<\/p>\n<p>Fontes said the state form&rsquo;s attempt to address the &ldquo;vanishingly rare noncitizen voting that is alleged to be happening&rdquo; has resulted in what he has found to be at least 47,000 eligible Arizonans being denied the right to vote.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Ennis said disenfranchisement is the &ldquo;same argument [Democrats] used on voter ID. It&rsquo;s the same argument they use on virtually everything.&rdquo; He added that states should focus their efforts on helping eligible voters obtain documentation of their citizenship, such as transient college students.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Look, if someone doesn&rsquo;t have documents that prove citizenship, we should help them get those documents,&rdquo; Ennis said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s a document you need in this country. So these are things we can easily get around and easily solve.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1757111\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1757111\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Republicans are advocating for a citizenship bill that aims to transform the electoral landscape. With less than two months until the election, legal disputes regarding election integrity are already in motion. This series from the Washington Examiner, titled &#8220;Legal Games,&#8221; will examine Democratic efforts to avoid a repeat of 2016. In contrast, Republican attorneys remain wary of the aftermath of the 2020 elections. Part 3 will explore why Republicans are vigorously pursuing stricter measures to prevent noncitizens from voting, while Democrats dismiss it as a non-issue.<\/p>\n<p>One of Congress&#8217;s primary focuses for Republicans is to stop noncitizen involvement in elections\u2014a concern that Democrats argue is unfounded. As the 2024 election approaches, Republicans assert that this issue is increasingly troubling for their constituents and believe that federal action is necessary to address these fears. They propose passing the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which would require proof of citizenship for voter registration\u2014a measure largely opposed by Democrats.<\/p>\n<p>Although this legislation faces significant hurdles in the Democrat-controlled Senate, House Republican leaders have made its passage a prerequisite for approving temporary funding to avert a government shutdown. As discussions unfold in Congress this week, some legal and policy experts support the SAVE Act, arguing it would effectively enhance election security.<\/p>\n<p>Chad Ennis, an attorney and vice president at Honest Elections Project, emphasized its necessity: \u201cWe need requirements similar to those attempted by Arizona\u2014showing proof of citizenship when registering to vote.\u201d The SAVE Act reflects two key issues within the Republican Party: secure elections and immigration control.<\/p>\n<p>Since 2020, Republicans have become more sensitive about voter fraud concerns following former President Donald Trump&#8217;s narrow loss amid states relaxing voting laws due to COVID-19 emergencies. Additionally, illegal migration has surged under President Biden&#8217;s administration; over 5.6 million migrants have entered illegally since he took office.<\/p>\n<p>Federal law prohibits all noncitizens from voting regardless of their immigration status; however, instances exist where noncitizens appear on voter registration lists\u2014heightening fears about their potential participation in federal elections. The SAVE Act would mandate voters provide documentation proving U.S. citizenship upon registration instead of merely checking a box affirming their status.<\/p>\n<p>Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose reported identifying nearly 600 registered noncitizens last year alone during congressional hearings last week on this topic; Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin announced purging over 6,300 noncitizens from his state&#8217;s rolls since January 2022.<\/p>\n<p>While documented cases of actual voting by noncitizens are rare\u2014only several dozen identified over two decades according to studies\u2014the House Republicans continue pressing Democrats on why they resist stronger enforcement measures despite evidence suggesting minimal impact on electoral outcomes if implemented.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) expressed strong support for the SAVE Act and criticized Democratic opposition as revealing ignorance about existing issues with illegal voting: \u201cMy constituents express concern about illegals casting votes because it&#8217;s wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A senior Republican aide noted that Democrats approach election laws similarly to how corporations view tax regulations\u2014seeking loopholes rather than supporting straightforward solutions like requiring documented proof of citizenship upfront.<\/p>\n<p>Arizona serves as an illustrative case study regarding how such legislation could function within electoral processes due its unique dual-registration system requiring proof-of-citizenship documentation alongside standard federal forms without such requirements leading only eligible voters participating federally but not locally or statewide if registered incorrectly under federal guidelines alone\u2014which has sparked recent legal battles culminating at Supreme Court level favoring maintaining state form options despite opposition from Democrats &amp; DOJ officials citing disenfranchisement risks associated with stricter regulations potentially impacting thousands who may lack proper documentation yet still qualify otherwise based solely upon residency criteria established previously through various means including college campuses where many registrants reside currently lacking adequate verification methods available today overall across different jurisdictions nationwide needing improvement moving forward collectively together towards achieving better outcomes ultimately benefiting everyone involved throughout entire process holistically speaking overall!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":2342678,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Trump-SAVE-Act.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[41112,6571,5894,3756,32076],"class_list":["post-2342677","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-citizenship-bill","tag-elections","tag-politics","tag-republicans","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Trump-SAVE-Act.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2342677","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2342677"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2342677\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2342678"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2342677"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2342677"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2342677"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}