3 debunked Democrat claims about the SAVE America Act



Democrats and legacy media have put forth several mischaracterizations and even flat-out lies about the GOP's latest election integrity bill.

The House passed the SAVE America Act Wednesday with unanimous Republican support and with even one Democrat, Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas, joining the GOP. The bill would put in place basic election integrity requirements like providing proof of citizenship and photo ID to register and vote in federal elections.

'If you buy a 6-pack of beer you have to show an ID.'

The bill is now in the Senate, where Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah is leading the effort to pass the legislation.

Although this proposal seems commonsense to most Americans, Democrats have caused a firestorm of hysteria and misconception. Here is the truth behind Democrats' most common rebuttals.

RELATED: 4 Senate Republicans evading MAGA's pressure campaign to prevent noncitizens from voting

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1. 'It's already illegal!'

The SAVE America Act aims to protect ballots from election fraud, particularly from illegal aliens and noncitizens. Democrats are quick to point out that it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in elections, and those Democrats who are willing to admit that noncitizens voting does occasionally happen insist it takes place at a negligible rate.

This is partially true. It is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in American elections, and when it does happen, estimates show it occurs less than 1% of the time. But even if the rate is extremely low, it's not zero. And while many elections are decisive victories, some are decided by razor-thin margins, making every ballot count.

RELATED: Lone Democrat joins all Republicans to pass landmark election integrity bill barring noncitizens from voting

Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

In the 2024 election, former Republican Rep. John Duarte of California was unseated by Democrat Adam Gray by just 187 votes, chipping away at a historically thin GOP advantage in the House. But it's not just local elections that are decided by such narrow margins. In 2020, former President Joe Biden won several swing states by just thousands of votes, including Georgia by 11,779 votes and Arizona by just 10,457 votes.

There's no way to know if any of those votes were cast fraudulently, which is precisely the problem. Americans should have total confidence that every ballot counted in an election is a legitimate vote that reflects the political will of a United States citizen. The SAVE America Act would help do just that.

2. 'Jim Crow 2.0'

Democrats are no stranger to playing the race card, claiming that requiring photo ID somehow unfairly affects minorities. Perhaps most notable of them all is Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, who unabashedly likened the SAVE Act to Jim Crow-era rules.

"I have said it before and I'll say it again, the SAVE Act would impose Jim Crow type laws to the entire country and is dead on arrival in the Senate," Schumer said in a statement earlier this month. "It is a poison pill that will kill any legislation that it is attached to. If House Republicans add the SAVE Act to the bipartisan appropriations package it will lead to another prolonged Trump government shutdown."

RELATED: Stopping the steal: Sen. Lee, Republicans demand Election Day integrity ahead of SCOTUS fight over 'rolling' ballot counts

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Apart from Schumer's soft bigotry of low expectations, his claim is simply inaccurate. The SAVE America Act offers a wide range of acceptable documents to prove citizenship, including a valid U.S. passport, a REAL ID that indicates citizenship, a U.S. military identification card that shows birthplace in the U.S., a birth certificate or other equivalent naturalization documents, and even some tribal IDs like the American Indian card.

Presenting a photo ID is also already a requirement to vote in some states as well as for countless other activities and purchases, including boarding a plane and casting a vote as a member of Congress.

"If you buy a 6-pack of beer you have to show an ID," Republican Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee joked in a post on X. "End this racism."

3. 'It's an attack on women!'

Another claim Democrats have repeatedly made is that the new requirements disproportionately impact women who have changed their names after marriage. Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts said that the name change "creates a real problem" for her, implying that the legislation is the GOP's latest attempt to suppress women's votes.

The absurdity of Warren's claim is self-evident. Married women often obtain documentation with their new names for other processes that require identification, such as purchasing alcohol or opening a bank account. In addition, women are not limited to producing birth certificates, but also may provide other forms of acceptable ID, such as a passport or a REAL ID.

RELATED: Lone Republican defies Trump, votes to tank the SAVE Act

Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Even in the rare case that a woman's ID is not updated with her new legal name, the SAVE America Act explicitly allows for name changes in documentation. The legislation requires states to establish fallback procedures for voters who have changed their names due to marriage, divorce, adoption, or another reason.

The reality is that none of the proposed requirements are novel or restrictive. They are simply common sense.

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Noem urges swift passage of SAVE Act to prevent illegal aliens from disenfranchising American voters



Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem held a press conference in Arizona on Friday to urge the passage of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act.

Noem addressed reporters after attending a roundtable discussion with local officials, including Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap, Arizona Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Wright, and state Rep. John Gillette (R).

'There’s only one reason that anyone would oppose this bill, and that’s because they would want to cheat.'

The secretary emphasized that President Donald Trump has made election integrity one of the administration’s top priorities of its Make America Great Again agenda.

Noem stated that the nation’s election system “needs a lot of work,” adding that America currently has a “golden opportunity” to demonstrate that it is “serious about securing our elections and that we care about making sure that we preserve our sacred republic.”

She noted that the House of Representatives passed the SAVE America Act earlier this week, contending that its passage would implement “common-sense, straightforward” measures, including requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote and states’ removal of noncitizens from voter rolls.

“These measures are extremely popular with American citizens,” Noem continued. “American people have common sense, and they want to see reforms like this put into their elections.”

Noem highlighted a recent poll that found 84% of Americans support requiring a photo ID to vote and 83% support requiring proof of citizenship when registering to vote.

RELATED: 4 Senate Republicans evading MAGA's pressure campaign to prevent noncitizens from voting

Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

“It’s common sense that our elections should belong to the American people, that they should be the ones who get to vote, whose votes are counted, that they get one vote, not more, not less,” Noem said. “It’s common sense to make sure that foreign nationals don’t vote in our elections, don’t elect our leaders and have a say in how our country runs.”

“It’s a fact that noncitizens have been voting in our elections. They’ve been registered, and they have voted from state to state,” she added.

The secretary provided examples of noncitizens who had voted in prior elections, including an illegal alien registered to vote in Maryland and another illegal alien registered in Kansas.

“As it stands, current guidelines for the National Voter Registration Act effectively stop states from going forward and checking citizenship during registration. The SAVE America Act would fix this,” she declared.

Noem addressed left-wing criticism that the SAVE Act would prevent American citizens from voting, including claims that newly married women would be disenfranchised when they have a name change and that the measure would make it impossible for U.S. service members to vote when deployed overseas.

She called these claims “just absurd” and “completely false.”

“Each of the arguments that have been laid out to criticize this bill are baseless speculation from the radical left because they want illegal aliens to vote in our elections,” Noem stated.

“There’s only one reason that anyone would oppose this bill, and that’s because they would want to cheat."

RELATED: Lone Republican defies Trump, votes to tank the SAVE Act

Kristi Noem. Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Reporters pressed Noem for specifics about Arizona’s election system, including whether “emphasizing election security threats without evidence” would “undermine public confidence” or further “misinformation.”

“We have a SAVE program that is available to the state of Arizona,” Noem replied, explaining that the state’s election officials could use the program to ensure that those on its voter rolls are verified.

Noem expressed concern that there are likely “many” individuals on Arizona’s voter rolls who should not be casting a ballot, including individuals who may be living in another state.

“I understand that you have mobile homes and boats on lakes that individuals may have as their voter registration address, but not necessarily that is where they live,” she said. “They live in another state, such as California or on the East Coast.”

Noem stated that Arizona has a history of being “an absolute disaster on elections.”

“Your leaders have failed you dramatically by not having systems that work, by disenfranchising the Americans who wanted to vote, that had to stand in lines for hours because machines failed or software failed. There’s no state that could use more improvement than Arizona,” Noem stated.

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Minnesota’s fraud scandal has an Arizona sequel



Over the past two months, Minnesota’s widening fraud scandals have drawn national attention. Investigators and watchdogs have uncovered what appear to be major abuses of taxpayer dollars tied to fraudulent day care and health care operations, and Democrat officials who oversaw the programs look, at minimum, asleep at the switch.

Minnesota isn’t alone.

Arizona’s reputation rests on independence and straight dealing. Katie Hobbs and Kris Mayes have replaced that image with stonewalling, favoritism, and excuses.

In Arizona, Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) and Attorney General Kris Mayes (D) have spent the past three years building a record that looks less like competent governance and more like protection for a corrupt status quo. Again and again, their offices have resisted transparency, shielded allies, and resisted oversight — while Republicans in the legislature have tried to drag basic accountability back into view.

Whether in Minnesota, Arizona, or any other jurisdiction across the country, taxpayers deserve better than a government that treats disclosure as optional and oversight as an attack.

Inaugural fund secrecy

Arizona governors often raise private money to cover inaugural expenses and then transfer leftover funds to the state. Hobbs broke that norm. Her office resisted disclosing donor information and withheld more than $1 million that should have gone back to taxpayers, triggering a direct clash with the legislature.

Lawmakers responded by writing the old precedent into law: Future administrations must fully report inauguration fundraising and spending. The bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support — proof that this wasn’t a partisan gripe. Even Democrats understood that Hobbs had created a mess for herself.

A pay-to-play stench

The most serious cloud over Hobbs’ administration is an alleged pay-to-play scandal involving the Department of Child Safety.

The Arizona Republic reported that Sunshine Residential Homes, a for-profit group home operator with state contracts, received a significant rate increase approved under Hobbs’ administration after donating to Hobbs’ inaugural fund. The same request had been denied under the outgoing Republican administration.

The reporting also noted that Hobbs’ DCS did not approve comparable increases for other group homes. At the same time, the DCS ended contracts with 16 group homes — making Sunshine’s preferred treatment look even more suspect.

Mayes announced an investigation, then tried to push Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell and the Arizona auditor general off the case — even though legislators had asked those offices to investigate. Arizona Treasurer Kimberly Yee publicly rejected Mayes’ attempt and urged the county and auditor investigations to continue.

Since then, Mayes’ office has offered little public clarity. Nearly two years without meaningful updates invites the obvious question: Was the “investigation” a press release designed to run out the clock?

Hobbs then vetoed a bill last session meant to close loopholes and prevent future executives from gaming the system.

SNAP: Fighting anti-fraud efforts

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program doles out nearly $100 billion a year. It also attracts fraud. The Government Accountability Office flagged $320 million in stolen benefits between October 2022 and December 2024. The U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2023 estimated that around 12% of SNAP benefits were fraudulent.

That should make anti-fraud measures easy to support.

Instead, Mayes sued the Trump administration over efforts to gather more information from states about SNAP beneficiaries. Hobbs refused to comply with data requests. Whatever one thinks about SNAP’s scope, no serious public servant should block reasonable efforts to root out fraud and protect taxpayers.

When elected officials fight transparency in a program that moves billions of dollars, they aren’t defending the vulnerable. They are protecting a system that invites abuse.

RELATED: Mike Lee reveals the real victims of Somali fraud: ‘It is not the rich people who suffer’

Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images

A shady operator

Kris Mayes has other problems.

U.S. Rep. Abraham Hamadeh (R-Ariz.) has asked the Department of Justice to investigate allegations of a pay-to-play bribery scheme involving Mayes and outside political groups, claiming she traded official actions for political benefits.

And late last year, a top official in Mayes’ State Government Division was arrested on charges related to controlling and trafficking stolen property. The city of Peoria had reportedly warned Mayes’ office nearly two years earlier about serious allegations involving that official, yet she remained in a position of authority until her arrest.

Arizona’s reputation rests on independence and straight dealing. Hobbs and Mayes have replaced that image with stonewalling, favoritism, and excuses.

Voters should take note. If Arizonans want honest government, they will have to demand it — at the ballot box and through aggressive oversight — before the culture of corruption becomes permanent.

Arizona House Advances Constitutional Amendment To End Delayed Election Results

The Arizona House of Representatives advanced a constitutional amendment on Monday that seeks to end the state’s post-Election Day chaos and delayed election results. “Arizonans are done with excuses, delays, and chaos in our elections,” amendment sponsor and Republican Rep. Alexander Kolodin said in a statement. Under House Concurrent Resolution 2001 (“The Arizona Secure Elections […]

'Today' host Savannah Guthrie's mother, 84, vanishes from home after missing church; police warn: 'We have a crime scene'



"Today" host Savannah Guthrie's mother, Nancy Guthrie, has gone missing under mysterious circumstances. Police suspect she may have been abducted from her home in Arizona.

The Pima County Sheriff's Department said in a statement that the 84-year-old was last seen Saturday night at her home in Catalina Foothills, just north of Tucson.

'She didn't walk from there. She didn't go willingly.'

During a Monday press conference, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said that Guthrie's disappearance was first reported Sunday morning after a church friend noticed she was absent from services and alerted one of her adult children.

"The family went to the house. I'm thinking they spent some time looking for her themselves before they called us," Nanos said, according to ABC News.

However, Guthrie could not be found, and now investigators believe foul play may have been involved.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety said in a statement, "All her personal belongings, to include her wallet, cell phone, and vehicle, were still there, but she was nowhere to be found."

CBS News reported that Nanos added, "We saw some things at the home that were concerning to us."

"We believe now, after we've processed that crime scene, that we do in fact have a crime scene, that we do in fact have a crime, and we're asking the community's help," Nanos added.

Nanos warned, "I hope we find her safe and sound, but we can't ignore what's in front of us."

Sgt. David Stivers of the Pima County Sheriff's Department revealed that investigators found "circumstances on scene that we believe are suspicious in nature."

Sheriff Nanos told People magazine that investigators "have taken what we believe is biological DNA-type evidence, and we are submitting it to our labs."

Law enforcement sources reportedly said investigators found blood inside Guthrie's home.

The Los Angeles Times reported, "The sources, who were not authorized to discuss the case publicly, said there were signs of forced entry. It's unclear whose blood was found inside the house."

Pima County Sheriff's Department spokesperson Kevin Adger told the Los Angeles Times, "At this point, investigators believe she was taken from the home against her will, possibly [in the] middle of the night. Detectives are looking into a possible kidnapping or abduction."

Nanos said, "I believe she was abducted, yes. She didn't walk from there. She didn't go willingly."

The sheriff said no motive has been established, and there is no early indication Guthrie was targeted because she is the mother of Savannah Guthrie. Yet, he cautioned, "We can't dismiss that."

Nanos told CBS News that investigators "will certainly" examine the possibility that Guthrie was targeted.

The sheriff said, "Was she being stalked? Did she have some people out there harassing her or something?"

Nanos added, "We're not going to dismiss any angles, for sure, but right now, immediately, we don't know of anything like that."

RELATED: Stunned judge reveals fate of woman involved in deadly kidnapping of 2 young sisters found in a pit — 1 did not survive

Nanos urged Guthrie's neighbors to review home security cameras to see if they notice anything suspicious from last weekend.

"They still might see something," Nanos stated. "Maybe it's somebody walking by. Maybe it's some vehicle driving by at that time of day."

A search-and-rescue team is utilizing drones, helicopters, and heat sensors to try to track down the missing woman.

Two sources told CBS News that the FBI is assisting in the investigation.

Guthrie's family is working with law enforcement to help find her.

Nanos noted that Guthrie was "not of good physical health, and so naturally we are concerned," Newsweek reported. Nanos added that her physical challenges and age limited her ability to move around.

"She did not leave on her own, we know that," Nanos stated.

Guthrie's family told investigators that she did not have cognitive issues, and the sheriff added, "She's very alert, and she's of good, sound mind."

"This is not a dementia-related; she is as sharp as a tack," Nanos said. "The family wants everybody to know this isn't somebody who just wandered off."

Nanos said during the press conference, "This is an 84-year-old lady who suffers from some physical ailments, has some physical challenges, is in need of medication — medication that, if she doesn't have in 24 hours, it could be fatal."

The sheriff's department said Guthrie is 5 feet 5 inches tall, has brown hair and blue eyes, and weighs 150 pounds.

Savannah Guthrie was absent from the "Today" show Monday and Tuesday as authorities attempted to locate her mother, but the anchor issued the following statement Monday:

On behalf of our family, I want to thank everyone for the thoughts, prayers and messages of support. Right now, our focus remains on the safe return of our dear mom. We thank law enforcement for their hard work on this case and encourage anyone with information to contact the Pima County Sheriff's Department at (520) 351-4900.

On Monday night, Savannah Guthrie asked her Instagram followers for prayers:

We believe in prayer. We believe in voices raised in unison, in love, in hope. We believe in goodness. We believe in humanity. Above all, we believe in Him.

Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant. Raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment.

We need you.

"He will keep in perfect peace those whose hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord," a verse of Isaiah for all time for all of us.

Bring her home.

Police are asking the public for help in locating Guthrie.

"Every detail matters. Even small tips could make a difference," the Pima County Sheriff's Department said. "Please share this post to help us reach more people. Thank you for your continued assistance and support."

A reward of up to $2,500 is being offered for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for her disappearance.

The Pima County Sheriff's Department established a tip line; anyone with information is urged to contact the department at 520-351-4900.

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'Going to get someone killed': Democratic AG shocks with talk about shooting ICE agents in 'stand your ground' Arizona



Republican lawmakers, the Arizona Police Association, and the Trump administration castigated Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes (D) this week over her suggestion that it may be reasonable to shoot masked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Mayes made no secret of her contempt for ICE in her interview with KPNX-TV's Brahm Resnik, suggesting, for instance, that ICE officers are engaged in "thuggish, brutish behavior" and causing chaos, confusion, and anxiety in Minneapolis.

'How do you know they are a peace officer?'

"It's a combustible situation, let's be clear about that," said Mayes. "It's a combustible situation being caused by ICE right now, wearing masks."

After noting that she was "outraged and sickened" to see ICE agents outside her building and claiming that "real cops don't wear masks," the Democrat — who is seeking re-election — made a point of stressing that Arizona is a "stand your ground state."

"We also have a lot of guns in Arizona," she said with a smile.

"You know, it's kind of a recipe for disaster because you have these masked federal officers with very little identification, sometimes no identification, wearing plain clothes and masks, and we have a stand your ground law that says that if you reasonably believe that your life is in danger and you are in your house or your car or on your property, that you can defend yourself with lethal force."

Resnik pumped the brakes and said, "I want to be careful with that and understand what you are saying because you know how that could be interpreted."

RELATED: Anti-ICE radical who took credit for the invasion of Minnesota church ARRESTED by feds

(Photo by Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu via Getty Image

"But it's the fact," said Mayes.

While Mayes clarified that you still cannot gun down peace officers in the Grand Canyon State and that she was not giving anyone license to start doing so, she appeared to give would-be killers an excuse, stating, "How do you know they're a peace officer?"

"If there's a situation where somebody pulls out their gun because they know Arizona is a stand your ground state, then it becomes 'did they reasonably know that they were a peace officer?'" said Arizona's top law enforcement officer.

When Resnik once more pressed her for clarification that she was not "telling folks you have license if you are threatened," Mayes said, "Well," and smirked.

"No," she continued, "but again, if you're being attacked by someone who is not identified as a peace officer, how do you know?"

Republican Arizona Rep. David Schweikert noted, "Let's not pretend this was some careful legal seminar."

"This was the attorney general of Arizona freelancing a scenario where bullets start flying and then shrugging it off as 'just the law.' That is reckless on its face," wrote Schweikert. "If your job is to enforce the law, you do not go on TV and hand out a permission structure for violence, then act surprised when people hear it as a green light. Words matter. Especially when they come from the state’s top lawyer."

Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen (R), who is running for state attorney general, noted, "Mayes should be fully aware of her dangerous rhetoric — and how people will construe, apply, and execute her comments. Mayes' comments were reckless, dangerous, and disqualifying."

The Arizona Police Association also condemned Mayes' remarks, emphasizing that "words from elected officials matter."

APA Executive Director Joe Clure stated that the Democrat's framing was "deeply troubling and dangerous" especially as "law enforcement officers at every level including state, local, and federal agencies do not always wear traditional uniforms" — including members of Mayes' own investigative teams.

"This does not diminish their legal authority or status as law enforcement," said Clure. "Publicly speculating about how someone might legally justify shooting an ICE agent sends a dangerous and irresponsible message, particularly in an already tense and polarized environment."

Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told the New York Post, "This is [a] direct threat calling for violence against our law enforcement officers — this kind of rhetoric is going to get someone killed."

Blaze News has reached out the Justice Department for comment.

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Exclusive: GOP lawmaker seeks crackdown on illegal trucker licenses to end 'preventable' deaths



Republican Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona is proposing new legislation to crack down on illegal aliens obtaining commercial driver's licenses.

Americans have witnessed many preventable deaths inflicted by illegal alien truck drivers who often obtained CDLs in blue states that seemingly ignore citizenship or work requirements. The tragic death toll was exacerbated by former President Joe Biden's administration, which allowed millions of illegal aliens to flood the country within a span of just four years.

'They gamble with American lives.'

Biggs believes the VERIFY CDL Act will help prevent similar tragedies in the future.

"American citizens should not have to worry that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ border failures are showing up on our highways," Biggs told Blaze News. "When millions of unvetted, unknown illegal aliens were allowed into the country — which is exactly what the Biden regime turned a blind eye to — the federal government created serious public safety risks far beyond the border."

"Until every illegal alien is deported by President Trump’s hard work, Congress has a responsibility to close dangerous loopholes. My VERIFY CDL Act ensures commercial driver’s licenses are issued only to individuals legally authorized to work in the United States.”

RELATED: Illegal alien truck driver walks out of jail after allegedly killing American — and sanctuary policies appear to be to blame

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Biggs' legislation would look to change that. According to the bill text obtained exclusively by Blaze News, the VERIFY CDL Act would require applicants' employment to be authorized through the E-Verify program before they can be issued a CDL, adding additional safeguards and closing a highly abused loophole.

"Operating a commercial vehicle is not a right — it is a serious responsibility," Biggs told Blaze News. "When states issue CDLs without verifying work authorization, they gamble with American lives. My bill puts an end to that recklessness."

"If you are legally authorized to work in the United States, E-Verify confirms it," Biggs said. "If you are not, you do not get behind the wheel of a 40-ton vehicle."

RELATED: Illegal alien truckers with California licenses accused of hauling $7M in cocaine across state lines

Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images

Biggs noted that mass immigration is not limited to the border, but rather it needs to be addressed at every level, including CDLs.

"It's not complicated," Biggs said. "We have seen what happens when verification fails preventable deaths, broken families, and a system that has lost its integrity."

"One preventable death is one too many," Biggs added. "Congress has a duty to act, and this bill does exactly that."

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