In a move fueled by former President Donald Trump's unfounded claims of election fraud, the Republican-controlled US House of Representatives passed a bill on Wednesday seeking to ban non-citizens from registering to vote in federal elections. Titled the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, the bill garnered a 221-198 vote in favor, inching closer to becoming law and raising concerns among Democrats who view it as a voter suppression effort.

The legislation's core premise revolves around the baseless assertion that individuals who have crossed the US-Mexico border illegally could cast ballots in the upcoming presidential and congressional elections scheduled for November 5, 2022. However, it is important to note that such an act is already a felony under existing laws, and independent studies have found that occurrences of non-citizen voting are extremely rare.

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act imposes new requirements for voter registration, demanding individuals to provide proof of US citizenship. Additionally, the bill compels states to purge suspected non-citizens from their voter rolls. Republicans argue that this bill aims to protect the integrity of US elections, but Democrats counter that it targets key Democratic constituencies and undermines public confidence in the election system.

While the bill successfully passed the House, its future looks uncertain in the Democrat-led Senate. It is expected to face opposition from Democrats who view it as a partisan effort. The White House decried the bill, stating that it would not enhance election safeguarding but instead make voter registration harder and increase the risk of purging eligible voters from the rolls.

Meanwhile, Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, have framed the bill in apocalyptic terms reminiscent of Trump's rhetoric. Johnson claimed that failing to support the bill would result in surrendering the country to "illegal aliens, cartel traffickers, and violent criminals and murderers."

This legislative push aligns with Trump's repeated false claims that the 2020 election was stolen through widespread voter fraud. Johnson, backed by Trump's support, unveiled plans for the bill during a joint press conference in April. Republicans further allege that Democrats actively encourage non-citizens to vote, although no substantial evidence has been presented to support this claim.

Republicans rely on various data points to bolster their case. They highlight instances of non-citizens being registered to vote in some states and cite municipalities such as New York City, Washington DC, and Montpelier, Vermont, which have allowed resident aliens to vote in local elections. Additionally, they reference a controversial 2014 study, which has been widely discredited, suggesting significant non-citizen voting that could sway congressional and presidential elections.

However, experts and independent studies have repeatedly debunked these claims. Wendy Weiser, director of the democracy program at the Brennan Center for Justice, stated that non-citizens are prohibited from voting in US elections, asserting that multiple layers of legal protections are already in place.

A recent Brennan Center study examined 42 jurisdictions, covering 23.5 million votes cast during the 2016 presidential election. The study found only 30 potential instances of non-citizen voting, which equates to a mere 0.0001% of total votes cast, reaffirming the scarcity of such occurrences.

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act now heads to the Senate, where its prospects for passage appear bleak. Democrats are expected to oppose the bill, viewing it as a threat to voter rights and an attempt to suppress participation among crucial constituencies. As the country grapples with election integrity concerns, the fate of this legislation will be closely watched, with implications for future electoral processes.