Rep. Mark Everette Harris of North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District said on April 15 that Americans deserve to feel safe in their own country, linking this goal to fully funding the Department of Homeland Security and passing the SAVE America Act.
The issue comes as Congress remains divided over immigration enforcement funding and election-related legislation, with major homeland-security functions affected by a lapse in Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding that began on February 14, 2026, according to the Associated Press. The dispute has kept DHS operating under shutdown procedures while temporary funding and competing proposals move through Congress.
Harris said, “But that can’t happen when the Department of Homeland Security remains shut down and the SAVE America Act has not yet passed. Fully fund DHS. Pass the SAVE America Act. Keep America safe,” according to his statement on social media.
The SAVE America Act would require people registering to vote in federal elections to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship, and it would also require voters to present photo identification when casting a federal ballot. The bill further directs states to maintain programs to identify and remove noncitizens from voter rolls on an ongoing basis, according to TrackBill.
A 2025 national survey found 83% of U.S. adults favored requiring all voters to show government-issued photo identification to vote, including 95% of Republicans and 71% of Democrats. The finding shows broad public support for voter ID across party lines, even as federal legislation tying photo ID to voting rules remains contested in Congress, according to Pew Research Center.
As Senate Majority Leader, John Thune controls which legislation is brought to the Senate floor for consideration. He has not scheduled a vote on the measure, citing concerns that it would be blocked by a Democratic filibuster. Some Republican senators have called for a vote to change Senate rules and eliminate the filibuster, but no such vote has been brought forward, according to Thune’s official website.
Harris represents North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District and began serving in the 119th Congress on January 3, 2025. His official House office lists committee work on Agriculture, Education and Workforce, and Judiciary, along with issue areas including border and immigration policy, economy and jobs, education, veterans affairs and limited government priorities, according to his official House website.
