Speaker Johnson Criticizes Biden For Opposing Bill To Prevent Noncitizen Voting

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has come under intense pressure from conservative circles to take a stronger stand after he criticized President Joe Biden’s opposition to the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE Act). This bill aims to amend the National Voter Registration Act by requiring proof of citizenship before registering to vote and purging noncitizens from voter rolls.

The White House issued a statement on Monday, asserting that noncitizens voting in federal elections is already illegal and punishable by prison and fines. The statement argued that states have effective safeguards in place and that the proposed bill would make it harder for eligible Americans to register and increase the risk of eligible voters being purged from the rolls.

Johnson responded by sharing the White House statement on social media, expressing alarm that the president would veto a bill designed to prevent noncitizens from voting. “Why are Democrats so adamantly against ensuring only American citizens vote in our elections? They want to turn illegal aliens into voters. We must pass the SAVE Act to prevent this,” Johnson stated.

Billionaire Elon Musk, who owns the social media platform X, shared Johnson’s post and agreed with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s assessment that Biden and the Democrats want illegal immigrants to vote in the upcoming election. Musk criticized mail-in ballots and electronic voting machines, suggesting that only paper ballots and in-person voting can ensure the integrity of elections.

The controversy over the SAVE Act underscores the ongoing debate about election security and the measures necessary to protect the integrity of the voting process in the United States.