Congress passes bill that will prevent millions of Americans from voting in elections
Congress supported Trump's initiative regarding American participation in elections (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
The US House of Representatives has approved a bill that could strip millions of American citizens of their right to vote in federal elections, according to CNN.
On Thursday, April 10, the House of Representatives passed a Republican-backed bill that requires documentary proof of US citizenship for voter registration in federal elections. The bill was approved despite current laws making it illegal for non-citizens to participate in federal elections.
This move is part of the Republicans' efforts in the House, aligning with actions taken by President Donald Trump. Lawmakers voted 220 to 208 to send the bill to the Senate for further consideration. Four Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the bill, casting their votes in favor.
House Speaker Mike Johnson described the legislation as one that protects and ensures the integrity of elections. However, critics warn that the bill, known as the SAVE Act, could limit access to the polls by creating unnecessary barriers to voter registration and unlawfully disenfranchising legitimate voters.
Participation in federal elections by non-US citizens is already prohibited by law, and experts note that such cases are exceedingly rare.
After passing in the House, the bill now moves to the Senate, where Republicans hold the majority, though its future remains uncertain. To pass in the Senate, the bill will need the support of at least some Democrats.
Republicans had previously passed the SAVE Act during the last session of Congress, but it did not progress further due to the Democratic majority in the Senate.
In addition to the requirement for documentary proof of citizenship when registering for federal elections, the bill also includes provisions for removing non-citizens from federal voter rolls.
According to a study conducted by the Brennan Center for Justice in partnership with the Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement at the University of Maryland and the organization VoteRiders, approximately 21 million eligible US voters lack easy access to a birth certificate, passport, or other documentation verifying their citizenship.
“This is a solution in search of a problem that will unfortunately disenfranchise millions of Americans,” said Sean Morales-Doyle, the director of voting rights at the Brennan Center.
Trump's policy on immigrants
After taking office as US president, Donald Trump and his team initiated a policy aimed at reducing the rights of foreigners and migrants, including deporting them to their countries of origin.
At the end of March, Trump signed an executive order that tightens the requirements for verifying citizenship when registering voters. Under the order, every voter must now document their US citizenship during registration. This measure is intended to prevent foreign interference in elections.
In response, several Democratic groups and non-partisan organizations filed lawsuits accusing the president of attempting to unilaterally change the electoral process.
Additionally, within the first month of Trump's presidency, over 20,000 undocumented migrants were arrested in the US for deportation.
