A coalition of LGBTQ+ and civil rights organisations is urging the US Senate to reject President Donald Trump’s proposed SAVE America Act, warning the legislation could lead to the “targeting of transgender people” and restrict access to voting.
The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, formally introduced as S. 1383, aims to tighten voter identification requirements. However, in an open letter, advocacy groups argue the bill would disproportionately impact transgender individuals and other marginalised communities.
The letter — signed by Advocates for Trans Equality, the National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund and The Trevor Project — strongly criticises the proposal, calling it “a blatant attempt to steal the fundamental right to vote.”
“Under the guise of addressing a non-existent voter fraud problem, this bill would create onerous restrictions,” the coalition wrote. “Simply put: this would establish a 21st-century poll tax, and it cannot be allowed to move forward.”
The groups warn that stricter ID requirements could create significant barriers for transgender people whose documents may not align, potentially leading to confusion, delays or outright disenfranchisement.
As an example, the letter points to recent developments in Kansas, where changes to ID policies resulted in around 1,700 transgender residents having their driver’s licences revoked — a move advocates say highlights the real-world consequences of such legislation.
“A law like the SAVE Act would only further cause bureaucratic confusion and disenfranchise wide swaths of people,” the coalition stated.
“The legitimacy of our democracy rests on ensuring that everyone who is entitled to vote has reasonable access to the ballot box, but this legislation would do precisely the opposite.”
Beyond voting access, the bill also includes provisions that would ban transgender girls and women from participating in school sports aligned with their gender identity, as well as proposals to restrict access to gender-affirming healthcare for trans youth.
The language used in the bill to describe such care has also drawn criticism, with the coalition noting it escalates rhetoric targeting transgender communities.
“This further escalates the administration’s ongoing efforts to try to drive transgender people out of all facets of society,” the letter reads.
“It also continues this administration’s obsession with targeting transgender people at every opportunity.”
The organisations concluded by urging lawmakers to block the bill, arguing it would undermine democratic participation while empowering efforts to influence election outcomes.
Meanwhile, Trump and his Republican allies are continuing to push for the legislation’s passage, placing pressure on both the Senate and the House to approve the measure.
