The SAVE Act would amend the National Voter Registration Act to require states to obtain documentary proof of U.S. citizenship and identity in person when registering individuals to vote in Federal elections. 

Additionally, states would be required to establish a program to remove non-citizens from existing voter rolls and would hold election officials accountable who fail to uphold proof of citizenship requirements. 

Bill sponsors claim millions of illegal aliens have poured into our country illegally and many are given the opportunity to register to vote in federal elections. The SAVE Act would thwart Democrat efforts to cement one-party rule by upholding and strengthening current law that permits only U.S. citizens to vote in Federal elections.

"Secure elections are a key cornerstone for any representative government; without them, we won't have a country. Radical progressive Democrats know this and are using open border policies while also attacking election integrity laws to fundamentally remake America. That's why I am proud to introduce the SAVE Act with Speaker Johnson and my Republican colleagues, along with the invaluable support of citizens and organizations that recognize we must end the practice of non-citizens voting in our elections. “ -- Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX)

Bill sponsors argue that the SAVE Act would protect and preserve the right of American citizens to vote by:

• Requiring states to obtain proof of citizenship – in person – when registering an individual to vote.
• Requiring states to remove non-citizens from existing voter rolls.

Supporters of the bill say it is necessary to protect the integrity of U.S. elections and ensure that only U.S. citizens vote, given that millions of illegal aliens have entered the United States under Biden's lax immigration policies who could be provided voter registration materials under the 1993 motor voter law. They say it is undeniable that noncitizens have registered to vote and have actually voted in federal elections, but it is unknowable just how massive the problem is. Only by addressing Supreme Court concerns regarding the wording of NVRA and expressly requiring proof of citizenship when registering to vote, can we ensure that just U.S. citizens vote to elect our federal officials and make political decisions for America. And this issue needs to be addressed quickly, they argue, saying that under a March 2021 Biden executive order all federal agencies were directed to promote access to voting which effectively turned every federal agency into a voter registration agency, making it more likely than ever that noncitizens receive voter registration materials.

 Republicans say the bill also addresses other shortcomings of the 1993 voter registration law, including by directing states to remove noncitizens from their voter rolls and giving states access (without cost) to federal databases on the status of individuals so states can positively identify those who need to be removed from voter rolls. It also expands the ability of private citizens to sue election officials to hold them accountable and enforce federal and state prohibitions on noncitizen voting, it adds criminal penalties for election officials who knowingly register an individual to vote in federal elections without proof of citizenship, and it prohibits federal employees from materially helping noncitizens register to vote — all of which they argue will help promote election integrity. With some liberal jurisdictions encouraging noncitizens to vote in local elections, Republicans say it is imperative to ensure that proof of citizenship be provided for voting in this November's federal elections so Americans will have confidence as election results are being tabulated and finalized.

They say the clear purpose of the GOP bill is to prime the American public to question the outcome of this November's elections should Republicans lose, and that the measure represents little more than a solution in search of an actual problem. They argue that it is simply a continuation of Donald Trump's long-running game plan, which started in 2016 when he claimed without evidence that he lost the popular vote for president only because millions of undocumented immigrants had illegally voted, and which he escalated after losing the 2020 election by spreading numerous lies that the presidential election had been tainted by widespread fraud and irregularities, claims that directly led to the deadly Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. They say that although that effort failed, former President Trump along with Speaker Johnson and others are now laying the groundwork for a Jan. 6 redux to contest the 2024 election by claiming that Democrats are encouraging migrants to enter the U.S. so they can be registered to vote.

Democrats say there is no evidence of widespread voting by noncitizens in federal elections, and that states already have in place robust mechanisms to identify and address any illegal voting by noncitizens. They note that the Brennan Center for Justice has found that cases of noncitizens voting in federal elections is "infinitesimal" while the conservative Cato Institute says "noncitizens don't illegally vote in detectable numbers." Even longtime GOP pollster Whit Ayres has said "there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud that would influence the results of an election." If anything, they say the bill will make it more difficult for otherwise eligible U.S. citizens to vote by preventing states from accepting NVRA mail voter registrations unless the individual presents their proof of citizenship in person to an appropriate official. And for many, obtaining and presenting such proof could be particularly burdensome, including for married women who have changed their names, students, the elderly, lower income populations, members of Tribal nations, and naturalized citizens.

Critics argue that the Act may disproportionately impact racial and ethnic minority groups, who are more likely to lack the required identification or documentation, exacerbating existing voting disparities. Students and people who frequently move might face difficulties meeting residency and identification requirements, leading to complications in their ability to register and vote.

Last, it is a federal power grab due to it infringes upon states' rights to determine and manage their own election procedures and policies, leading to conflicts over federal vs. state authority.