US President Donald Trump is stepping up pressure on Congress to pass legislation that would require voters to provide proof of citizenship when registering and show photo identification when voting. Trump cited India’s election system as an example of why he believes the SAVE America Act should become law.

“Earlier this month, India’s Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, asked our Administration — How can you have Elections in the US without a valid Photo ID?” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday. “India’s last Election had 646,000,000 Voters! Less than 1% voted by mail, and every single Voter had to have a VALID Photo Identity Document. We need to pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT, now!”

The legislation has already passed the House but faces significant opposition in the Senate, where Republicans hold 53 of the 100 seats. It would need 60 votes to overcome the Senate’s legislative filibuster.

Democrats have described the bill as “dead on arrival”.

What Would SAVE America Act Do?

The legislation would require people registering to vote in federal elections to provide proof that they are US citizens. It would also require voters to present a valid photo ID before casting their ballots.

Federal law already requires voters in national elections to be US citizens, but does not currently require them to provide documentary proof of citizenship when registering.

Some US states already require voters to show photo identification at polling stations.

The bill would also create a process for people whose names have changed to provide additional documents to verify their identity. Supporters say the measure would strengthen election security, while concerns have been raised about the additional burden on people who changed their names after marriage.

Election officials who register voters without obtaining the required proof of citizenship could face criminal penalties under the proposed legislation.

Why Is Trump Citing India?

Trump has repeatedly pointed to voting systems in other countries while arguing that the US does not have adequate election safeguards.

“India and Brazil are tying voter identification to a biometric database, while the United States largely relies on self-attestation for citizenship,” he said.

“Germany and Canada require paper ballots when tabulating votes, while the United States has a patchwork of methods that often lack basic chain-of-custody protections,” he added.

In his remarks, Trump also cited Denmark and Sweden, saying they “sensibly” limit mail-in voting to people unable to vote in person and do not count late-arriving ballots regardless of when they were posted.

He contrasted those systems with US elections, where large numbers of people vote by mail and some officials accept ballots without postmarks or those arriving after Election Day.

How Popular Is Voter ID?

Requiring voters to show photo identification has broad support among US voters. A Pew Research Center poll last year found that 83% of respondents supported requiring all voters to show government-issued photo identification. Support included 71% of Democratic or Democratic-leaning voters and 95% of Republican or Republican-leaning voters.

But requiring documentary proof of citizenship is a separate issue.

The Brennan Center for Justice and the University of Maryland’s Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement estimate that about 21 million Americans do not have readily available documents proving their citizenship. They also estimate that 2.6 million Americans lack any form of government-issued photo ID.

Can the Bill Become Law?

The SAVE America Act must pass both chambers of Congress before it can become law. An earlier version passed the House in February by 218 votes to 213, largely along party lines.

But its prospects in the Senate remain uncertain. With Republicans holding 53 seats, Senate Majority Leader John Thune does not have the 60 votes needed to advance the legislation if all Democrats oppose it.

Democrats have previously sought to establish nationwide voting rules, including through the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Neither measure passed Congress during Joe Biden’s presidency.

For now, the SAVE America Act remains stalled in the Senate, despite Trump’s renewed push for its passage.