Democrats are fiercely opposing a plan from Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) that would link proof of citizenship for voter registration to a government funding bill. The Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, proposed by Johnson, would require prospective voters to provide documentation proving their citizenship, a move Democrats are calling unnecessary and harmful.

Currently, registering to vote in federal elections only requires individuals to check a box attesting to their citizenship. While it’s already illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections, Republicans argue this safeguard isn’t enough, pointing to several instances of noncitizens making it onto voter rolls in recent years. In Pennsylvania, for example, over 11,000 noncitizens were found on voter rolls in 2019.

The New York Times and other left-leaning media outlets have criticized the Republican efforts, calling them an attempt to suppress voting. One article even referred to Republican plans as reminiscent of “Jim Crow-era practices.” Despite these accusations, supporters of the GOP plan argue that the integrity of U.S. elections must be preserved and that even one illegal vote undermines the process.

President Joe Biden and other Democrats, meanwhile, have rejected the SAVE Act. Biden has claimed that the justification for the legislation is based on “falsehoods.” Even though the House passed the SAVE Act earlier this year, it received little Democratic support, with only a handful of members crossing party lines.

As the GOP continues to push for stricter voter laws, Democrats are likely to intensify their opposition, particularly with 2024 elections looming.