OCA Condemns House Passage of SAVE America Act Threatening Millions’ Voting Rights
For Immediate Release
February 12, 2026
Media Contact:
Socheata Sun, Senior Communications Associate
socheata.sun@ocanational.org
Washington, D.C. — OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates expresses deep disappointment and alarm at the House of Representatives' passage of the SAVE America Act. This voter suppression bill will prevent millions of eligible Americans from participating in federal elections.
The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, SAVE America Act:
Impose a nationwide proof-of-citizenship requirement for voter registration, forcing U.S. citizens to present documents such as a passport or birth certificate every time they register or re-register to vote. An estimated 21 million Americans lack ready access to these documents, meaning the bill would create widespread barriers for eligible voters.
Require proof of residence to register to vote, creating another hurdle for eligible voters—especially people who have recently moved, students, and working families.
Create an overly narrow list of acceptable photo IDs for voting that is more restrictive than nearly all existing state voter ID laws and excludes many commonly held forms of identification.
Mandate frequent voter roll purges and remove longstanding safeguards that help prevent eligible voters from being mistakenly removed too close to an election, increasing the risk of wrongful removals, administrative errors, and confusion for voters and election officials.
The consequences of this legislation are especially severe for Asian American communities, where many voters are naturalized citizens, multilingual voters, or members of mixed-status families. The introduction of new documentation requirements would exacerbate existing inequities, intimidate voters, and further disenfranchise communities that already face targeted disinformation and voter suppression.
“These policies do not protect our elections; they create barriers,” said Thu Nguyen, Executive Director of OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates. “Millions of Americans, including naturalized citizens, seniors, students, and low-income families, will be shut out of performing their civil duty. Our democracy is strongest when every eligible voter can cast a ballot without unnecessary obstacles. OCA will continue to fight for voting rights and ensure our communities are not pushed out of the democratic process.”
OCA urges the Senate to reject the SAVE America Act and pursue policies that expand voter access, strengthen election security without discrimination, and protect the right to vote for every eligible American.
###
About OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates
Founded in 1973, OCA–Asian Pacific American Advocates is a national, member-driven social justice organization of community advocates dedicated to advancing the sociopolitical and holistic well-being of all Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs). Learn more about our work at ocanational.org/about.