Noem Promotes SAVE Act in Phoenix, Cites Noncitizen Voting Fears and Defends DHS After El Paso Laser Shutdown
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, at a Phoenix news conference, pushed the SAVE America Act — the revised House bill that would require documentary proof of citizenship to register and a government photo ID to vote (passed the House 218–213) — arguing it will stop noncitizens from deciding elections even as experts say noncitizen voting is extremely rare and critics warn the measures could disenfranchise voters and lead to improper purges. She also defended DHS after an El Paso anti‑drone laser incident she described as a "joint agency task force mission," reaffirmed she remains in charge amid scrutiny, but when asked for Arizona examples of noncitizen voting said she "presumed" it had occurred and could not cite specific cases.
📌 Key Facts
- The House passed an updated SAVE America Act largely along party lines (218–213); only Rep. Henry Cuellar voted with Republicans, and the bill was rushed through amid the start of the midterm season.
- The legislation would add a nationwide photo‑ID requirement for federal elections and require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register (mostly a valid U.S. passport or birth certificate), including copies of photo ID when requesting and submitting absentee ballots; some commonly held IDs (e.g., REAL ID‑style licenses) do not prove citizenship.
- The SAVE Act would require states to share voter‑registration information with the Department of Homeland Security for citizenship verification, authorize DHS to pursue immigration cases if noncitizens are found on rolls, and encourage use of DHS’s SAVE database to remove noncitizens — provisions election officials and secretaries of state warn could cause privacy intrusions and unlawful purges and be difficult to implement before primaries.
- Supporters — led publicly by President Trump, the White House, Speaker Mike Johnson and many House and Senate Republicans — frame the bill as "common‑sense" election security and pressed GOP leaders to consider procedural measures (including a talking filibuster or changing filibuster rules) to force Senate consideration.
- Critics, including Democrats and voting‑rights experts (e.g., Brennan Center), say noncitizen voting in federal elections is extremely rare, warn the documentary‑proof and data‑sharing requirements could disenfranchise large numbers of eligible voters (including people with name changes), and characterize the bill as an effort to suppress votes or "rig" the next election.
- News organizations note the SAVE Act’s rollout is coming directly from the White House as part of a broader push tied to President Trump’s calls to "nationalize" elections — comments he made on former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino’s podcast — while networks and fact‑checking reporters describe his fraud allegations as unfounded.
- GOP leaders cite polling (Gallup and Pew) showing roughly 80–83% public support for proof‑of‑citizenship for new registrants and government‑issued photo ID to vote; experts counter that fewer than one in ten Americans lack paperwork proving citizenship and stress scale differences between the problem cited and potential impacts of the bill.
- Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem promoted the SAVE Act at a Phoenix news conference, accused opponents of wanting "illegal aliens to vote," but when pressed could not cite specific examples of noncitizen voting in Arizona; she also defended DHS after an El Paso anti‑drone laser incident that led to an FAA airspace shutdown, calling it a joint agency task force matter and reaffirming she remains in charge of DHS.
📰 Source Timeline (15)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
February 13, 2026
9:11 PM
WATCH: DHS Secretary Noem speaks about SAVE Act and election security in Phoenix
New information:
- At a Feb. 13 news conference outside Phoenix, Noem pitched the SAVE Act as proof Republicans are 'serious about securing our elections' and framed it as needed to stop noncitizens from deciding elections.
- When asked for examples of noncitizens voting in Arizona, Noem said she 'presumed' it had happened but could not cite a single case.
- On the El Paso event, Noem described the anti‑drone laser use that led to an FAA airspace shutdown as a 'joint agency task force mission' and said DHS is 'continuing to work on the communication through that,' implicitly acknowledging the chaos.
- Noem publicly reaffirmed, 'I am still in charge of the Department of Homeland Security,' when pressed on whether she still runs the department amid funding fights and the end of the Minnesota immigration sweep.
- The piece notes again that noncitizen voting has been shown to be rare and lacking any coordinated pattern, directly juxtaposing that research with Noem’s justification for the bill.
9:10 PM
Noem backs SAVE America Act, slams 'radical left' opposition to voter IDs and proof of citizenship
New information:
- Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem held a press conference in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area explicitly urging passage of the SAVE America Act as part of the Trump administration’s election-integrity push.
- Noem accused opponents of the bill of wanting 'illegal aliens to vote in our elections' and said 'there's only one reason that anyone would oppose this bill, and that's because they would want to cheat.'
- She cited 'wide majorities of Republicans and Democrats' as supporting the bill, pushing back on Democratic claims it would disenfranchise voters.
- Noem singled out Arizona, calling on the state to 'clean up its voter rolls' and urging officials to use DHS’s SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) database to remove noncitizens, deceased voters, and people who no longer live there.
- She referenced anecdotal cases of noncitizens registered to vote in various states as justification and framed the bill as leaving 'no room' for non‑Americans, fraudsters or foreign influence in U.S. elections.
7:06 PM
Democrat claims SAVE Act would block married women from voting; Republicans say that's wrong
New information:
- Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Mich., claims the SAVE Act could prevent married women whose current ID names don’t match their birth certificates from registering, citing 167,000 women potentially affected in her district and 'nearly 70 million' married women nationally who changed their last name.
- Michigan law does not allow changing a birth certificate due to marriage; it is only amendable for limited reasons such as correcting a record, changing sex designation, correcting place of birth, or parental records.
- The SAVE Act’s text does not require a last-name match between birth certificate and ID; it allows a certified birth certificate listing full name, date, and place of birth as one of several documents, and directs the bipartisan Election Assistance Commission to develop guidelines for states to accept supplementary documents such as marriage licenses when names differ.
- Republican backers and a senior GOP staffer flatly reject Scholten’s interpretation as 'propaganda,' saying married women can rely on marriage licenses plus other IDs, and the Federalist Society’s analysis explicitly says the bill 'contemplates these name changes' and builds in protections so name changes do not block voting.
February 12, 2026
5:52 PM
House GOP pushes strict proof-of-citizenship requirement for voters ahead of midterm elections
New information:
- Confirms the House vote tally as 218–213 and emphasizes it was 'mostly party-line,' with only Rep. Henry Cuellar as the lone Democratic vote in favor.
- Spells out more concretely that proof of citizenship would be satisfied 'mostly through a valid U.S. passport or birth certificate' at registration, and that documentary proof is not currently required under federal law.
- Provides on‑record framing from Rep. Bryan Steil defending the bill against accusations of 'Jim Crow 2.0' and arguing that 'current law is not strong enough.'
- Includes Rep. Jim McGovern’s characterization that Republicans are 'trying to rig the next election' and want 'fewer Americans to vote,' sharpening Democratic objections.
- Details election‑season backdrop: Trump’s talk of 'nationalizing' elections, DOJ seizure of 2020 ballots in Georgia, DOJ demands for state voter rolls (including Michigan), and secretaries of state warning about DHS data matching leading to improper voter purges.
- Notes that experts say voter fraud is 'extremely rare' and that 'fewer than one in 10 Americans don't have paperwork proving they are citizens,' quantifying potential scale of impact.
8:40 AM
House GOP pushes strict proof-of-citizenship requirement for voters
New information:
- Confirms final House floor vote tally at 218–213 and notes that only one Democrat, Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas, supported the revised SAVE America Act (down from four Democratic yes votes on the prior version).
- Spells out that the bill is being 'rushed' through at the start of the midterm season as what NPR/AP call a 'long shot' Trump administration priority likely to face strong resistance in the Senate.
- Details that the new version includes a specific process for voters whose names have changed (e.g., through marriage) to present supporting paperwork and attest to identity.
- Highlights that the legislation explicitly requires states to share voter‑registration information with the Department of Homeland Security so DHS can verify citizenship status on voter rolls, a provision elections officials and secretaries of state are warning could lead to unlawful purges and privacy intrusions.
- Adds more framing around Trump’s broader push to 'nationalize' elections, including DOJ seizure of 2020 ballots in Georgia and broad DOJ demands for voter rolls from states like Michigan, and notes a federal judge just dismissed DOJ’s suit seeking Michigan’s full statewide list.
- Provides an expert baseline that voter fraud by non‑citizens is 'extremely rare' and that fewer than one in 10 Americans lack documentary proof of citizenship, sharpening the scale of who could be affected versus the scale of the alleged problem.
February 11, 2026
11:45 PM
Only one House Dem voted in favor of voter ID, proof of citizenship in US elections
New information:
- The House has now passed Rep. Chip Roy’s SAVE America Act, rather than just advancing it out of committee.
- The updated bill explicitly requires photo identification to vote in any federal election, in addition to proof‑of‑citizenship requirements for registration.
- The bill mandates information‑sharing between state election officials and federal authorities to verify citizenship on voter rolls and authorizes DHS to pursue immigration cases when non‑citizens are found registered.
- House Minority Whip Katherine Clark argued on the floor that the bill would disproportionately burden married women whose last names differ from their birth certificates, calling it a 'minefield of red tape.'
9:01 PM
House GOP pushes strict proof-of-citizenship requirement for voters ahead of midterm elections
New information:
- Clarifies that the SAVE America Act would require documentary proof of citizenship at registration, "mostly" via a valid U.S. passport or birth certificate, and a valid photo ID to cast a ballot.
- Notes that federal law already restricts voting in national elections to citizens but does not currently require documentary proof, and experts say noncitizen voting is extremely rare.
- Details that the bill would immediately force states to share voter-roll information with DHS to verify citizenship, raising privacy and purge concerns among secretaries of state.
- Reports that the Justice Department has been demanding statewide voter files (including from Michigan), and a federal judge in Michigan just dismissed DOJ’s lawsuit seeking those voter rolls.
- Highlights that primaries begin next month, and election officials warn the abrupt shift would be hard to implement and could confuse or disenfranchise voters.
- Includes pointed Democratic criticism describing the bill as an effort to "rig the next election" and links it to Trump’s stated desire to "nationalize" elections and the recent federal seizure of 2020 ballots in Georgia.
8:05 PM
Hardline conservatives double down to save the SAVE Act
New information:
- A closed-door Senate GOP meeting where Sens. Mike Lee, Ron Johnson and Rick Scott pressed colleagues to advance the SAVE America Act.
- Sen. Mike Lee is pitching two concrete procedural paths: eliminating the 60‑vote filibuster or reverting to a standing (talking) filibuster focused on this bill.
- Senate Minority Leader John Thune publicly rejected nuking the filibuster, saying there are nowhere near the votes for that option.
- Sen. John Barrasso framed voter ID as 'common sense' and compared it to ID requirements in daily life, signaling leadership support for keeping the issue front and center.
- Sen. Rick Scott said 'all options' remain on the table, including using the original, more time‑consuming standing filibuster to force action on the SAVE Act.
12:52 PM
House to vote on the SAVE America Act as GOP makes election bill push
New information:
- Confirms the full House vote is scheduled for Wednesday and outlines GOP leadership’s confidence it will pass the chamber.
- Adds fresh quotes from Speaker Mike Johnson framing the bill as 'common-sense' and accusing Democrats of 'vehement and incoherent' opposition.
- Includes Chuck Schumer’s floor warning that the bill could effectively strip voting rights from 'tens of millions' who lack quick access to passports or birth certificates and calls it 'extreme.'
- Quotes President Trump saying 'we won't have a country any longer' if the bill is not enacted and reiterating his call to end most mail‑in ballots.
- Reiterates current polling Johnson is relying on: Gallup and Pew findings that about 83% of Americans support proof‑of‑citizenship for new registrants and government-issued photo ID to vote.
- Details internal Senate GOP pressure on Majority Leader John Thune to use a talking filibuster or other maneuvers to try to force consideration, and notes the procedural and political costs.
3:16 AM
Key House committee advances nationwide voter ID bill, setting up 2026 election fight
New information:
- The House Rules Committee advanced the SAVE America Act on Tuesday, clearing it for a full House vote.
- Speaker Mike Johnson said the House will vote on the bill Wednesday.
- The piece confirms this is an updated version of the earlier SAVE Act that now explicitly adds a nationwide photo-ID requirement to vote in federal elections.
- House conservatives are openly pressuring Senate GOP leaders, including John Thune, to change chamber rules or force a talking filibuster so the bill can get a simple-majority vote.
- Rep. Chip Roy is quoted outlining a strategy to table Democratic amendments and force Democrats to physically sustain a filibuster on the floor.
3:09 AM
How the SAVE America Act could make major changes to voting
New information:
- Explains that the SAVE America Act is an expanded version of prior House‑passed bills that stalled in the Senate, now headed for another 'key House vote' this week.
- Details that the bill would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register for federal elections – typically a passport or birth certificate – and that some listed documents (like REAL ID‑compliant licenses) would not actually prove citizenship.
- Specifies that the act would require a government‑issued photo ID to vote in person, plus copies of eligible photo ID both when requesting and submitting an absentee ballot.
- Notes provisions forcing mail‑in registration applicants to present proof of citizenship in person and requiring states to take steps to ensure only citizens are on the rolls.
- Quotes Brennan Center voting‑rights director Sean Morales‑Doyle warning the documentary‑proof requirements could disenfranchise large numbers of eligible voters because many lack easy access to acceptable documents.
- Reiterates PBS framing that noncitizen voting in federal elections is already illegal and 'exceedingly rare,' and that Trump’s 'rigged' and 'stolen' election claims lack evidence of widespread fraud.
February 09, 2026
6:28 PM
Trump pushes for legislation that would require voters to show photo ID
New information:
- CBS segment explicitly frames Trump as 'backing a new bill called the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or SAVE America Act,' emphasizing its photo ID requirement as a central feature.
- The report underlines that the bill’s branding and rollout are coming directly from the White House, with Trump himself publicly promoting it, not just from Senate sponsors.
- CBS positions the SAVE America Act within Trump’s broader push to tighten federal election rules ahead of 2026, highlighting it as a top-line legislative priority.
February 06, 2026
5:17 PM
Republicans pretend Trump’s call to ‘nationalize’ elections is about a voter ID bill
New information:
- Rick Scott says he has spoken with Trump specifically about the SAVE America Act and proof‑of‑citizenship voter‑registration rules, and 'hasn't talked to him about anything else.'
- Josh Hawley, John Boozman and Eric Schmitt each publicly assert or assume that Trump’s 'nationalize' comments refer to Congress passing the SAVE Act, not a wholesale federal takeover of elections.
- John Kennedy initially denies Trump used the word 'nationalize,' then deflects when corrected, while still affirming that the Constitution gives states a 'very vital role' in elections.
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Sen. Jon Husted both say they are not in favor of 'federalizing' elections and point to constitutional limits on federal control.
- Shelley Moore Capito calls dispersed control of elections a 'protective device' against cyberattacks or hacking, implicitly rejecting centralization.
February 03, 2026
3:22 PM
Why Trump says Republicans should "nationalize" elections
New information:
- Confirms the setting of Trump’s remark as an interview on former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino’s podcast.
- CBS explicitly characterizes Trump’s fraud allegations as 'unfounded,' reinforcing that there is no evidence behind the claims he uses to justify 'nationalizing' elections.
- Identifies CBS News White House reporter Olivia Rinaldi as the source walking through the quote and its context, underscoring that the network is treating this as a notable on‑record statement.