House passes SAVE Act to require voter ID nationwide

All but one Democrat in the US House of Representatives voted against an election integrity package on Wednesday that would expand federal requirements, such as proof of citizenship and voter ID, to prevent non-citizens from voting in federal elections. It will now move to the Senate for a vote. 

The SAVE America Act, introduced by Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), cleared the chamber by a vote of 218–213. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) was the lone Democrat to support it.

The SAVE America Act builds on the earlier Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, also led by Roy, which passed the House in April 2025 but was not taken up in the Senate. Under the updated legislation, states would be required to implement a new federal proof-of-citizenship mandate as part of the voter registration process for federal elections. In addition, the bill would require photo identification to vote in any federal election, establishing a nationwide standard for voter ID in those contests.

The measure would also expand coordination between state election officials and federal authorities by mandating information sharing to verify citizenship status on existing voter rolls. Furthermore, it would authorize the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to pursue immigration enforcement actions if non-citizens are found to be listed as eligible voters. 

Republicans framed the legislation as a straightforward safeguard intended to ensure that only US citizens participate in federal elections, while Democrats claim the bill would impose administrative requirements that could prevent eligible voters from casting ballots.

If enacted, the bill could impose new voting requirements ahead of this year’s November midterm elections.