By Hank Russell
U.S. Representative Andrew Garbarino (R-Patchogue) recently helped reintroduce a bill sponsored by Chip Roy (R-Texas) that he says would restore integrity back in the electoral process.
The SAVE (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) Act would require individuals to provide proof of U.S. citizenship in order to register to vote in federal elections. If they fail to do so, the state neither accept nor process the application.
The Act would require states to remove those who are not in the country legally from their official lists of eligible voters. In addition, those who knowingly register someone to vote without the registrant producing proof of citizenship will face criminal penalties.
Roy introduced the SAVE Act last May. Garbarino was the only Long Island representative to co-sponsor the bill.
In July, the House passed the bill, only for it to be held up in the Senate. The Biden administration said it did not support the bill, since there are laws in place preventing noncitizens from voting.
“States already have effective safeguards in place to verify voters’ eligibility and maintain the accuracy of voter rolls,” the administration said in a statement. “This bill would do nothing to safeguard our elections, but it would make it much harder for all eligible Americans to register to vote and increase the risk that eligible voters are purged from voter rolls. The evidence is clear that the current laws to prevent noncitizen voting are working as intended—it is extraordinarily rare for noncitizens to break the law by voting in Federal elections.
“It’s common sense that only American citizens should decide American elections, a principle grounded in the Constitution,” Garbarino said, adding that ultra-liberal cities such as New York City allow noncitizens to vote. “The SAVE Act upholds the integrity of our elections by requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote, ensuring this fundamental right is reserved exclusively for American citizens.”