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Washington, D.C. — OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates is deeply concerned by the passage of the SAVE Act in the House of Representatives, which was voted on Thursday morning.
The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, would amend the National Voter Registration Act to require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration in federal elections. This will disproportionately harm Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities, along with other voters of color, seniors, military voters, tribal voters, rural voters, survivors of natural disasters, and the tens of millions of married women in America who have changed their legal names.
“We are incredibly furious by the House’s actions to move one of the worst voter suppression bills in modern history forward to the U.S. Senate,” said Thu Nguyen, Executive Director of OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates. “The SAVE Act is misnamed because it will disenfranchise eligible voters who rely on services such as vote by mail, or individuals whose information has not been thoroughly updated within government systems. It is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in U.S. elections – this bill only works to make it harder for Americans to vote in U.S. elections.”
Why is the SAVE Act Dangerous?
- Makes It Harder for AANHPI Voters to Vote: The majority of Asian American voters are naturalized citizens. This bill puts up unfair roadblocks that could stop thousands of eligible voters from having a say in elections.
- Extra Paperwork Hurts Some People More: Many Americans, like seniors, people in small towns, survivors of natural disasters, and more, might not have easy access to birth certificates or passports.
- Fixing a Problem That Doesn’t Exist: There is no evidence that noncitizens are voting in federal elections. This bill also perpetuates harmful myths about immigrant communities, suggesting they are disloyal or tied to foreign nations.
OCA calls on the Senate to stand firm and vote NO on the SAVE Act to protect the voting rights of ALL Americans.
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