Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-16) penned an op-ed that ran in the Bloomington Pantagraph highlighting the need for Congress to enact the SAVE Act - legislation that passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a bipartisan vote and would require proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. The op-ed can be read HERE or below.
Originally published in the Pantagraph: Congress must pass the SAVE Act to help secure our elections
By U.S. Representative Darin LaHood
Like many Americans, my ancestors immigrated to the United States to forge a better life for themselves and their families. They worked hard and followed the rules to legally immigrate to this country and become citizens. One of the most important rights afforded to American citizens is the right to vote. The right to vote is inherent to our ability to choose our leaders and put a check on those in power. It’s a right that’s been fought for since the founding of our country, and we must protect and secure the sanctity of the vote.
Unfortunately, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ reckless open border policies have allowed millions of illegal immigrants to enter our country. Their failure to enforce our laws at the border has led to the endangerment of our communities, our families and our democracy. In Illinois, where sanctuary city policies are championed by Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, hundreds of thousands of migrants have been moved throughout the state, costing the taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.
As the unmitigated crisis at our southern border continues, constituents in the 16th Congressional District have raised concerns about election integrity throughout the country. To help restore faith in our federal elections, I supported the recently House-passed Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act.
The SAVE Act is a commonsense policy that would strengthen our current election laws by requiring proof of citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. Currently, states across the country require those registering to vote in federal elections to simply check a box claiming they are citizens and some even allow for illegal immigrants to vote in local elections. As these sanctuary states and cities fail to enforce laws that prevent illegal immigrants from voting, Congress must bolster federal laws and ensure they are followed to strengthen the American public’s trust in our electoral process.
The SAVE Act amends the National Voter Registration Act to require states to obtain proof of citizenship regardless of where the individual registers and allow for an alternative route for U.S. citizens who might not have documentary proof. Along with obtaining proof of citizenship, the bill directs states to create programs that update their voter rolls promptly and accurately. The SAVE Act will assist in this process by providing states access to Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration databases and for these programs to remove noncitizens from the voter rolls without inconveniencing U.S. citizens.
Congress must continue to work to secure our elections, and this commonsense legislation is the first step toward bolstering election integrity, gaining more public trust in the electoral process and further preventing the chance of illegitimate ballots being cast. As Congress returns to Washington this week, I believe it’s critical we prioritize getting the SAVE Act passed as we quickly approach the November elections.
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