House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York is drawing online backlash after a video showed him saying there is “no part of the so-called SAVE America Act” he can support. The clip appears to show Jeffries speaking to reporters in Washington, D.C. Online users reacted after the post framed his comments as opposition to requiring only U.S. citizens to vote in federal elections.
The C-SPAN2 video shows Jeffries at a podium labeled “Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, 8th District – Brooklyn,” with on-screen text reading “President Trump’s Agenda & Midterm Elections.” In the clip, he says, “There is no part of the so-called SAVE America Act that I can support.” The footage does not include the question that prompted the remark or what was said immediately afterward.
According to the post, the line is presented as opposition to the SAVE America Act, a bill supporters describe as requiring proof of citizenship to register and identification to vote in federal elections.
A separate video of the same briefing shows Jeffries also calling the measure “voter suppression legislation” and saying he would not support “any resolution connected to” it. That fuller context is not in the short clip circulated on X.
From a Capitol Podium to a Voting Rules Firestorm
Some users treated the RNC account’s question as the main issue, with one writing, “Why not is a great question,” and another asking Jeffries, “What have you got against American citizens ONLY voting in our elections?”
Other commenters said his stance showed Democrats could not win under stricter rules. One reply read, “TRANSLATION: Democrats cannot win elections if we can’t cheat.” Another paraphrased his line as, “There is no part of ensuring integrity in our voting system that I can support.”
A smaller group focused on public support for the bill or on Congress more broadly. One user wrote that if Jeffries were “for only citizens voting,” he would “fully support the SaveAct which over 80% of ALL Americans are demanding.”
Another argued there has been “NO proof of anything” and said lawmakers should “work on what WE really need.”
For now, Jeffries’ remarks have become another flashpoint in the fight over the SAVE America Act. While Jeffries argues the legislation would suppress legitimate voters, his critics remain unconvinced, questioning why he is unwilling to support any part of a bill Republicans say is intended to strengthen citizenship requirements for federal elections.
