Press Releases

Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03) issued the following statement following House passage of the SAVE America Act (S. 1383) which she voted NO on:

“The SAVE America Act is voter suppression, plain and simple,” said Leger Fernandez. “It will make it harder and more expensive for American citizens—especially women, Native Americans, service members, and rural voters—to register and vote. You will now have to register in person at your County Clerk's office—instead of online and by mail which is allowed in New Mexico. This is a broader effort to undermine our elections consistent with Trump's calls for ‘Republicans to nationalize our elections’ and his push to have armed ICE agents intimidate us at polling stations. The bill will go into effect immediately after being signed, creating chaos at every polling station from now until November. Imagine the lines as people show up to vote and realize they can’t.”

“The only thing the so-called SAVE act is meant to do is save Republicans’ electoral butts this November,” she concluded.

The Congresswoman recently debated this bill in the House Rules Committee.

Under current federal law, it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections, with serious criminal penalties. There is no evidence of widespread noncitizen voting. Yet the SAVE America Act will make it more difficult for U.S. citizens to register and vote.

Every study, including those from conservative organizations like the Cato Institute, say “noncitizen voting is virtually nonexistent.”

To register, an individual must provide a passport; identification that shows their place of birth, which excludes New Mexico REAL IDs, tribal IDs and military IDs; or an ID paired with a birth certificate or other specific document that demonstrates citizenship under the SAVE Act. 23 million American citizens don’t have ready access to these documents. In addition, the bill imposes in-person registration. 

According to Democratic Women’s Caucus analysis:

• Roughly 69 million women—about 25% of the U.S. citizen voting-age population—have changed their last name after marriage.

• Many do not have a birth certificate that matches their current legal name.

• Half of Americans do not have a passport.

• Only five states issue REAL IDs that indicate citizenship.

In rural areas:

• Voters in many western states could face a four to five hour round trip drive to register in person.

• County offices are typically open only during weekday business hours when many people can’t take time off.

• Working families would be forced to take unpaid leave and find child care just to register.

Under the SAVE America Act, a Tribal ID or Military ID alone would not qualify as sufficient proof of citizenship for voter registration.

Leger Fernández pledged to continue fighting the bill in the Senate and to work with colleagues to protect access to the ballot for every eligible American citizen.

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