Schumer Vows to Block GOP Voter ID Bill 'Tooth and Nail'

Senate Minority Leader says SAVE America Act is 'Jim Crow 2.0' that would suppress votes of poor and minority groups.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has vowed that Senate Democrats will block the GOP-backed SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and allow the Department of Homeland Security to verify voter rolls. Schumer called the bill 'Jim Crow 2.0' and said it would make it 'so hard to get any kind of voter ID that more than 20 million legitimate people, mainly poorer people and people of color, will not be able to vote under this law'.

Why it matters

The battle over voter ID laws has become a major political flashpoint, with Republicans arguing they are necessary to protect election integrity and Democrats claiming they are a form of voter suppression targeting marginalized groups. Schumer's strong opposition to the SAVE Act signals an escalation in this partisan fight over voting rights.

The details

The SAVE America Act, which passed the House last week, would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and allow the Department of Homeland Security to share information with state election officials to verify voter rolls. Schumer and most Senate Democrats have criticized the bill as an attempt at voter suppression, arguing it would make it extremely difficult for millions of poor and minority voters to cast ballots.

  • The SAVE America Act passed the House last week and is expected to face a vote in the Senate.
  • Senate Democrats and the White House are currently negotiating funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which has been shut down since midnight Friday.

The players

Chuck Schumer

The Senate Minority Leader, a Democrat from New York, who has vowed to block the GOP-backed SAVE America Act.

Kristi Noem

The Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, who said elections 'may be one of the most important things that we need to make sure we trust, is reliable, and that when it gets to Election Day that we've been proactive to make sure that we have the right people voting, electing the right leaders to lead this country.'

John Fetterman

A Democratic senator from Pennsylvania who could potentially break with his party and support the SAVE America Act.

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What they’re saying

“We will not let it pass in the Senate. We are fighting it tooth and nail. It's an outrageous proposal that is, you know, that shows the sort of political bias of the MAGA right. They don't want poor people to vote. They don't want people of color to vote because they often don't vote for them.”

— Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader (CNN)

“What they are proposing in this so-called SAVE Act is like Jim Crow 2.0. They make it so hard to get any kind of voter ID that more than 20 million legitimate people, mainly poorer people and people of color, will not be able to vote under this law.”

— Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader (CNN)

“That's a load of bull. They show no evidence of voter fraud. They show there's so little in the country. And to have ICE agents, these thugs, be by the polling places, that just flies in the face of how democracy works, of how we've had elections for hundreds of years, very successfully.”

— Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader (CNN)

What’s next

Without support from Senate Democrats, the SAVE America Act is likely to fail in the Senate. The only way around that would be eliminating the Senate's 60-vote filibuster threshold - a move Republicans oppose - or forcing a so-called talking filibuster that could require hours of debate and stall other Senate business.

The takeaway

The battle over voter ID laws has become a major partisan flashpoint, with Republicans arguing they are necessary to protect election integrity and Democrats claiming they are a form of voter suppression. Schumer's strong opposition to the SAVE Act signals an escalation in this fight, underscoring the deep divisions over voting rights in the U.S.