Senate Rejects SAVE America Act Amendment in 48-50 Vote During Immigration Funding Debate

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Senate voted 48-50 on June 4, 2026, to reject an amendment that would have attached the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act to a major immigration enforcement funding package, dealing a setback to Republican efforts to strengthen voter integrity laws ahead of the 2026 midterms.

The amendment, offered by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), sought to incorporate key provisions of the SAVE America Act into the $70 billion bill funding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). Four Republican senators joined all Democrats in opposing it: Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina.

The SAVE America Act aims to require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship—such as a birth certificate, passport, or naturalization papers—for voter registration in federal elections. It also includes measures to purge non-citizens from voter rolls, share voting data with the Department of Homeland Security, and strengthen voter ID requirements. Proponents argue these steps are essential to prevent illegal voting and restore confidence in elections.

The bill passed the House earlier in 2026 but has repeatedly stalled in the Senate, where it faces a 60-vote filibuster threshold. Thursday’s vote during the “vote-a-rama” on the immigration package demonstrated that the legislation lacks even a simple majority among Republicans, let alone the broader support needed for passage.

President Trump has repeatedly prioritized the legislation, calling proof of citizenship a basic safeguard. Polling cited by supporters shows strong public backing, with over 70% of Americans—including a majority of independents and significant Democratic support—favoring citizenship verification for voting.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune and other Republicans had explored using budget reconciliation to bypass the filibuster, but the parliamentarian would likely rule the voting provisions ineligible as non-budgetary. The failed amendment underscores internal GOP divisions and Democratic opposition framing the bill as voter suppression.

Republicans plan to continue pursuing election integrity measures through other legislative vehicles or executive actions, while critics of the SAVE America Act celebrated the vote as a defense of voting access. The immigration funding bill itself advanced separately after the amendment’s defeat.

This latest failure highlights ongoing challenges in advancing stricter voter eligibility standards despite widespread public support and repeated House passage.