Left to right are: Kelley R. Wilson-Service Caseworker; Carmeshia Gibson-Adult Service Worker; Modesta Smiley-Service Caseworker; LaTonya H Wooley-Service Supervisor; & Wilson Morgan-Director. Center sitting: Judge Rolonda M. Wedgeworth. Ms. Takeshia Knox-Quality Assurance/Resource Supervisor who was not pictured.
By Rolonda M. Wedgeworth, Probate Judge of Greene County, Alabama
Whereas, our children are our most valuable resource and will shape the future of Alabama; and
Whereas, positive childhood experiences (PCES) – like loving caregivers and safe, stable and nurturing relationships – can help mitigate trauma and the negative impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACES) to promote the social emotional and developmental wellbeing of children; and
Whereas, childhood trauma can have long-term psychological, emotional, and physical effects throughout an individual’s lifetime and impact future generations of their family; and
Whereas, childhood trauma, including abuse and neglect, is serious problem affecting every community in the U.S. and finding solutions requires input and action from everyone and
Whereas, children who live in families with access to concrete economic and social supports are less likely to experience abuse and neglect and
Whereas, we acknowledge that in order to solve the public health issue of abuse and neglect we must work together to change hearts and mindsets through storytelling and sharing, center the needs of families, break down bias and barriers and inspire action for expected and unexpected partners in prevention; and
Whereas, we are committed to advancing equitable, responsive and effective systems that ensure all children and family are healthy and thriving; and
Whereas, we recognize the need to prioritize kids and invest in more prevention initiatives like home visiting and family-strengthening policies, economic supports and community-based child abuse prevention programs at the national, state and local levels;
Now Therefore, on this 21st day of April 2025, I, Rolonda M. Wedgeworth, Probate Judge of Greene County Alabama, do hereby proclaim April 2025 as National Children Abuse Prevention Month.
By Reuters
The NAACP sued the U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday to stop its alleged illegal effort to cut off funding to schools that use diversity, equity and inclusion programs, and prevent Black students from receiving equal education opportunities.
In a complaint filed in Washington, D.C., the largest U.S. civil rights group faulted the Trump administration for targeting programs that offer “truthful, inclusive curricula,” policies to give Black Americans equal access to selective education opportunities, and efforts to foster a sense of belonging and address racism.
It also said the policies “advance a misinterpretation” of federal civil rights laws and Supreme Court precedent that undermine NAACP members’ equal protection rights and protections from viewpoint discrimination under the U.S. Constitution.
The Education Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the federal lawsuit.
U.S. President Donald Trump has made ending racial preferences and so-called DEI programs a top priority in his second White House term.
The Education Department had on February 14 sent a “Dear Colleague” letter to schools receiving federal funding. That letter said federal law prevented the schools from considering race as a factor in areas such as admissions, hiring and promotion, pay, financial aid, scholarships and prizes, housing and graduation ceremonies.
Then on April 3, the department demanded certifications of compliance from schools, including an end to DEI programs. It said this was required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars recipients from allowing discrimination based on race, and a 2023 Supreme Court decision involving Harvard University that effectively ended race-conscious admissions in higher education.
While the department agreed in a separate lawsuit in New Hampshire not to enforce the “Dear Colleague” letter until April 24, the NAACP said some schools have lost funding while others have flinched and canceled programs.
It cited the Waterloo, Iowa, school district’s withdrawal of first-grade students from the University of Northern Iowa’s annual African American Read-In, which nearly 3,500 students at 73 schools attended.
NAACP President Derrick Johnson accused the White House of “effectively sanctioning” discrimination that U.S. civil rights laws were designed to prevent.
“Children of color consistently attend segregated, chronically underfunded schools where they receive less educational opportunities and more discipline,” Johnson said. “Denying these truths doesn’t make them disappear — it deepens the harm.” The case is NAACP v U.S. Department of Education et al, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia, No. 25-01120.
(TriceEdneyWire.com) – While news headlines continue to focus on the chaos, confusion and legal challenges caused by the new administration’s recent changes, it could be easy to miss recent congressional actions that will cost consumers more than $5 billion annually in unnecessary and excessive bank overdraft fees
On March 27, a 52-48 Senate, party line roll call vote , the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) overdraft rule was overturned. It would have lowered the typical cost of an overdraft fee at very large banks (with at least $10 billion in assets) from around $35 to $5. The measure now moves to the House of Representatives, where it is expected to soon pass, and then reach the president’s desk for final action.
South Carolina’s Republican Senator Tim Scott, who chairs the chamber’s Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, sponsored a Congressional Review Act resolution that only required a simple majority to pass. Should the House concur with a second majority vote, large lenders could charge fees much higher than the actual cost of an overdraft to the financial institution. Following the Senate vote, Scott claimed a consumer victory – despite a wealth of research that documents massive and negative financial impact to consumers paying excessive overdraft fees.
“This overdraft conversation is a critically important conversation if you are like me, a guy who grew up in poverty, a single parent household, who understands the difficulty, the challenge, of single moms making those ends meet,” said Scott. “I want every single hardworking American to have access to our financial system.”
But access on what terms? It is curious that Sen. Scott’s comments do not acknowledge how overdraft fees already disproportionately impact Black and Latino consumers.
“Black and Latino consumers are already four to five times more likely to be unbanked than white Americans,” wrote the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) in a comment letter supporting the overdraft rule. “They are also disproportionately likely to be ejected from the financial mainstream. Ejection from the mainstream financial system can have long-lasting and negative systemic effects.” CRL urged senators to vote for the interests of consumers, not the profits of large banks.
“This legislation, which should be called the ‘High Bank Fees Forever Act,’ would block the type of price cut that Americans have been clamoring for,” said Nadine Chabrier, senior policy counsel at CRL. “The measure would deny hundreds of dollars of relief each year from reaching families living paycheck-to-paycheck while letting huge financial institutions perpetually price gouge these families.”
CFPB’s overdraft rule required bank fees to correspond with their actual costs and losses – instead of generating a revenue stream designed to boost bank profits. Also, by requiring bank account-opening disclosures, consumers would assured choices to compare offerings and decide whether to pay overdraft fees automatically or manually.
A near 300-member coalition of national and state advocates in civil rights, labor, religion, higher education, and other areas are working to raise awareness about the need to continue CFPB’s consumer protections.
“The CFPB is an agency of the people. From the protection from junk fees, to fighting excessive overdraft fees, providing assistance to impacted victims of natural disasters, and holding predatory practices accountable, the NAACP stands firm in bringing back the CFPB,” said Keisha D. Bross, NAACP Director of Opportunity, Race, and Justice. ”The NAACP will fight to hold financial entities responsible for the years of inequitable practices from big banks and lenders.”
“It is shameful that Republicans are effectively writing bonus checks to executives at the nation’s largest banks while ordinary people struggle with high prices and increased costs of living,” added Lauren Saunders, the National Consumer Law Center’s associate director.
“Banking charters were never supposed to be a license to rip people off, but unfortunately, many banks rely on gotcha penalty fees to pad their profits, effectively diminishing the difference between insured depositories and payday lenders,” noted Adam Rust, director of financial services for the Consumer Federation of America. “Reversing this rule is a gift to banks, and if the House goes forward with their version, it will harm people for decades to come.”
As the measure advances to the House for further deliberation, California Congresswoman Maxine Waters, the Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee, posed an apt question to her colleagues:
“Whether you like the CFPB or not, it doesn’t make any sense to hike bank fees on 23 million hard-working families,” said the longtime lawmaker, “Why do you want to force them to pay $5 billion in more fees every year?
Charlene Crowell is a senior fellow with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org”
By Stacy M. Brown BlackPressUSA.com Senior National Correspondent
Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff and a global voice for the poor, immigrants, and the environment, died Monday at age 88. Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced his death from the Domus Santa Marta, the Vatican residence where Francis chose to live instead of the Apostolic Palace. “At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father,” said Farrell. “His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church.” Church bells rang across Rome as word spread. The pope had been hospitalized since mid-February with double pneumonia, marking his longest hospitalization during his 12-year papacy. Despite his declining health, he finally appeared before thousands in St. Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 17, 1936, Francis was the son of Italian immigrants. A former chemical technician, he entered the Jesuit order in 1958, was ordained in 1969, and rose through the ranks to become Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998 and Cardinal in 2001. Elected pope in 2013 following Benedict XVI’s resignation, Francis quickly distinguished himself with a reformist tone. He rejected the papal palace and wore simpler vestments. He condemned economic exploitation, called for urgent action on climate change, and made the inclusion of migrants, the poor, and LGBTQ+ Catholics central to his mission. However, his papacy also deepened tensions within the Catholic Church, especially in the United States. While Francis urged compassion and social justice, many American Catholics—particularly white conservatives—supported political figures whose policies ran counter to the pope’s teachings. In a February op-ed for the National Catholic Reporter, writer Alessandra Harris addressed the disconnect: “We are living in a time when self-professed Catholics are not only turning a blind eye to evil but have elected and are supporting President Donald Trump, who is against diversity, against immigrants, against the poor.” Harris cited a long history of racism in the Church, from segregation and exclusion in Catholic schools and neighborhoods to the silence of Church leaders during Jim Crow and beyond. She noted that 59% of white Catholics voted for Trump, writing that “the Catholic Church is once again siding with white supremacy or hoping to benefit from its proximity to whiteness at the expense of people who are Black, Native, noncitizens and LGBTQIA+.” Though Pope Francis spoke forcefully against racism, xenophobia, and exclusion, the institutional Church in the U.S. has often lagged behind his moral calls. “Trampling upon a person’s dignity is a serious sin,”Francis once said—a principle he lived by and preached consistently. Now, as the Church prepares for its next chapter, many are left wondering whether his vision of inclusion will take deeper root or fade with him. “His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and his Church,” said Cardinal Farrell.
By Stacy M. Brown BlackPressUSA.com Senior National Correspondent
Rev. Jamal Bryant is urging Black Americans to keep the pressure on Target by continuing the national boycott that began as a 40-day economic “fast.” The move, sparked by the retail giant’s decision to end its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, has already cost the company an estimated $12 billion, Bryant said. “Because of your fast, Target has lost $12 billion,” Bryant told his congregation. “I am so grateful that there is power in unity, and we know the strength of Black economics.” Since the fast began, Target’s stock has plummeted from $138 to $94 per share, and in-store foot traffic is down by 7.9%. The boycott gained traction after Target announced it would wind down racial equity programs it introduced following the 2020 police killing of George Floyd. The company, which operates nearly 2,000 stores and employs over 400,000 people, said it had always planned to sunset the programs after three years. However, many saw the decision as a retreat from commitments made to Black communities. After meeting with Target executives, Bryant confirmed that the company agreed to just one of the boycott’s four major demands: fulfilling its $2 billion pledge to support Black businesses through product placement, services, and investments in Black-owned media. The company has yet to meet demands to deposit $250 million into Black-owned banks, reinstate DEI programs, or fund community pipeline centers at 10 HBCUs focused on teaching retail business. Bryant said Target’s response wasn’t enough. “Target cannot selectively decide which parts of our dignity they’re willing to honor,” he said.
A growing coalition of African American leaders and organizations—including the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA)—has continued meeting to strategize further action. At the center of the discussion is the role of the Black Press, which Target has yet to acknowledge in a meaningful way, despite more than a year of outreach by the NNPA under President Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., with assistance from former U.S. Sen. Laphonza Butler.
Chavis stressed that any agreement with Target must include investment in Black-owned media, including outlets like BlackPressUSA.com, The Washington Informer, Philadelphia Tribune, and Chicago Defender. “The dissemination of this message and narrative is only accurately done by the Black Press in 2025 and beyond,” Chavis said. For nearly 200 years, the Black Press has played a pivotal role in American life, particularly for African Americans. From its inception in 1827 with Freedom’s Journal, the Black Press has informed, educated, and empowered Black communities while countering the negative portrayals that dominate mainstream media. As documented by the Oxford Bibliographies, the Black Press has served as “agents of social change” and “defenders of shared values and interests.” During Reconstruction and Jim Crow, Black journalists like Ida B. Wells used the press to expose racial violence and injustice. Wells’ work documenting lynchings and countering white supremacist propaganda laid the foundation for the Black Press to serve as a vital corrective force in American media. That legacy remains just as urgent today. Modern studies show that negative portrayals of Black people in media lead to harmful outcomes, from over-criminalization and over-sexualization to negative health effects and social exclusion. The Black Press continues to challenge that narrative. Cheryl Smith, publisher of Texas Metro News and Garland Journal, said the importance of the Black Press cannot be overstated. “If we look back at every period in our lives since its inception, we can see how significant the Black Press was,” Smith said. “We need to see it and believe it every day we get up, and I promise you, we will be stronger, more vibrant, and more powerful people.” The NNPA currently represents more than 200 Black-owned newspapers across the country, continuing a legacy that is nearly as old as the United States itself. As America nears its 249th birthday, the Black Press marks 198 years of continuous service. “The largest Black population in American history are now openly and unapologetically demanding freedom, justice, equality, democracy, and equity,” Chavis said. “And the only media institutions that have always stood with us are our own.” As Bryant calls for continued boycott efforts, he and Chavis are reminding Black America that real leverage comes not only from what it refuses to accept—but also from what it insists on valuing. “We’ve seen what happens when we stand together,” Bryant said. “Now we keep standing.”
The Greene County Board of Education held a called meeting, Thursday April 10, 2025 to consider a bid for athletic improvements to Greene County High School – Phase I – GCHS Track and Field Project. Superintendent Dr. Corey Jones stated that the purpose of the meeting was to lock in material and other costs for the Project in light of current US economic conditions.
He explained that the two initial bids from Game Day, Inc at $2,244,444 and J.T. Harrison at $1,899,000 were both over budget, therefore there was a re-bid with only Game Day Inc. proposing a cost of $1,683,748.
CSFO Mrs. Marquita Lennon, displayed the category of funds available for the Phase I Track and Field Project at GCHS: FY 2024 K12 Capital Grant – $1,100,000; FY 2025 K-12 Capital Grant $84,615.38; Fy 2024 Education Trust fund Advancement and Technology Fund – $111,900; FY 2025 Education Trust Fund Advancement and Technology Fund (Proposed) $575,000. These fund categories total $1,871,515.38.
The board members questioned the difference between Game Day Inc.’s initial bid and the second re-bid. Dr. Jones and CSFO Lennon explained that changes and/or substitutions to the plans and specifications were reflected in the re-bid.
Although Superintendent Jones was able to reach the Architectural Firm of McKee & Associates during the board meeting and the board was able to make inquiries at the time concerning deletions to the original Project Specs, they seemingly were not satisfied and requested an in-person meeting with Walter McKee at the next board meeting. No further action was taken on the GCHS Phase I -Track and Field Project.
On the superintendent’s recommendation, the board did approve the quote of $27,570.62 from AngelTrax to upgrade camera/surveillance system and add windshield cameras on school buses.
The Greene County Commission held its regular monthly meeting, Monday, April 14, 2025, with all commissioners in attendance. The preliminary items approved included the agenda, previous minutes, financial reports and payment of claims.
As indicated on the agenda, the Commission was again asked to consider a proposal from FIRSTBIOMETRICS requesting “Timely Access, Security and Lease Negotiation relative to the former Greenetrack facility.” Charlie J. Gomez of Iron Wolf LLC presented the request indicating the following: “As previously noted, the building has suffered from extensive vandalism and what appears to be deliberate sabotage, including damage to the rooftop HVAC systems, electrical transformers, and power infrastructure leading from the grid. These issues have compromised the facility’s safety and functionality, necessitating urgent action.”
Iron Wolf LlC is specifically asking the Commission’s support and approval for the following:
* Full access to the Greenetrack facility for Iron Wolf LLC and its licensed contractors.
* Authorization to change all exterior locks for security purposes.
* Installation of a temporary power pole and deployment of security cameras to monitor site.
Permission to begin restoration of power via generators and repair of the electrical structure.
Although the Commission has made no commitment for use of the Greenetrack facility once such repairs and improvements are made, Iron Wolf LLC also stated that it will absorb all expenses for repairs and upgrades indicated in its proposal and that these costs be “…acknowledged and considered as part of our ongoing lease negotiations.” The proposal also states that Iron Wolf LLC is interested in securing a long-term lease agreement and a potential purchase agreement with the Commission.
County Attorney Mark Parnell advised the Commission that specific information has been requested from FIRSTBIOMETRICS and Iron Wolf LLC to which they have not responded.
The Commission tabled the agreement request.
Although the County now owns all the property of the former Greenetrack facility, the Alabama State Department of Revenue still has a lien for taxes it deems unpaid.
In a 2022 case, the State of Alabama won a court victory allowing them to collect over $76 million in unpaid taxes and interest from Greenetrack, Inc., a for-profit casino and racetrack in Greene County, Alabama. The case, Alabama Department of Revenue v. Greenetrack, Inc., involved Greenetrack claiming their bingo business was tax-exempt under a statute related to their dog racing license, which was upheld by the Alabama Tax Tribunal and Greene Circuit Court. However, the Alabama Department of Revenue appealed, leading to the court’s decision allowing the state to collect the owed taxes.
In other considerations the Commission acted on the following:
* Approved the resignation of Mr. Morgan Sellers from the Foster/Ralph Water Authority and appointed Mr. Guy Pearce, Jr. to assume the position.
* Approved Ms. Marsha Grant as Appraisal Department Clerk.
Approved purchasing full page graduation ad in Greene County Democrat newspaper.
Approved resolution and lighting of candle celebrating the 250th Anniversary of Paul Revere’s Ride.
* Approved travel for Assistant Engineer.
* Tabled resolution for PARA (Park And Recreation Authority).
At the commission’s work session held Wednesday, April 9, 2025, Attorney Parnell informed the Commission that PARA had two sets of incorporation documents and both were filed under the wrong State Statues. Parnell indicated that he had forwarded materials and the necessary process for PARA to file new incorporation papers.
The tussle between Starlink boss Elon Musk and South Africa over the company’s failure to launch in the country stems from the nation’s black empowerment laws and could be one factor behind the diplomatic row between the US and Africa’s most industrialized nation.
To his more than 219 million followers on his social media platform X, Mr Musk made the racially charged claim that his satellite internet service provider was “not allowed to operate in South Africa simply because I’m not black”.
But the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) – a regulatory body in the telecommunications and broadcasting sectors – told the BBC that Starlink had never submitted an application for a license. As for the foreign ministry, it said the company was welcome to operate in the country “provided there’s compliance with local laws”. So what are the legal sticking points? To operate in South Africa, Starlink needs to obtain network and service licenses, which both require 30% ownership by historically disadvantaged groups.
This mainly refers to South Africa’s majority black population, which was shut out of the economy during the racist system of apartheid.White-minority rule ended in 1994 after Nelson Mandela and his African National Congress (ANC) came to power.
Since then, the ANC has made “black empowerment” a central pillar of its economic policy in an attempt to tackle the racial injustices of the past. This has included adopting legislation requiring investors to give local black firms a 30% stake in their businesses in South Africa.
Mr Musk – who was born in South Africa in 1971 before moving to Canada in the late 1980s and then to the US, where he became the world’s richest man – appears to see this as the main stumbling block for Starlink to operate in the country.
Starlink, in a written submission to Icasa, said the black empowerment provisions in legislation excluded “many” foreign satellite operators from the South African market, according to local news site TechCentral. But foreign ministry spokesperson Clayson Monyela challenged this view in March, saying on X that more than 600 US companies, including computing giant Microsoft, were operating in South Africa in compliance with its laws – and “thriving”. Are there attempts to end the impasse? Mr Musk’s Starlink has a potential ally in South Africa’s Communications Minister Solly Malatsi. He comes from the Democratic Alliance (DA) – the second-biggest party in South Africa – which joined a coalition government after the ANC failed to get a parliamentary majority in last year’s election.
The DA is a fierce critic of the current black empowerment laws, claiming they have fuelled cronyism and corruption with investors forced to link up with ANC-connected companies to operate in South Africa or to win state contracts.
Last October, Malatsi hinted that he was looking for a way to circumvent the 30% black equity requirement, saying he intended to issue a “policy direction” to Icasa with the aim of clarifying “the position on the recognition of equity equivalent programmers”.
In simple terms, Malatsi seemed to be suggesting that Starlink would not a require Black business partner in South Africa, though it would have to invest in social programs aimed at benefiting Black people – especially the poor. But some six months later, Malatsi has failed to change the policy, with a spokesperson for his department telling the BBC that their legal team was still looking into the matter. It seems the communications minister may be facing political resistance from ANC lawmakers in parliament.
Khusela Diko, the chairperson of the parliamentary communications committee to which Malatsi is accountable, warned him earlier this month that “transformation” in the tech sector was non-negotiable, appearing to oppose giving Mr Musk’s Starlink any special treatment. Diko said that “the law is clear on compliance” and, crucially added, that “cutting corners and circumvention is not an option – least of all to appease business interests”.
Diko’s tough position comes as no surprise, as relations between the South African government and the US have hit rock bottom during US President Donald Tump’s second term. “As it happens with potential investors, you have to court them; you have to be talking to them, and you’ve got to be demonstrating to them that there is a conducive environment for them to invest. So, we will see how this turns out,” the president said.
“He is South African-born and South Africa is his home, and I would want to see him coming to South Africa for a visit, tour or whatever. “But the “bromance” has long ended, with Mr Musk appearing to move closer to South Africa’s right wing.
By Stacy M. Brown BlackPressUSA.com Senior National Correspondent
Former First Lady Michelle Obama is setting the record straight about her marriage, brushing off rumors of a split from former President Barack Obama and calling out the sexist assumptions that fueled them. In part two of her appearance on the “Work in Progress” podcast hosted by Sophia Bush, Michelle Obama addressed the online speculation that ramped up earlier this year when Barack Obama appeared alone at several high-profile events, including the funeral for former President Jimmy Carter and the inauguration of Donald Trump. Critics quickly jumped to conclusions — but Michelle Obama made it clear that her choices had nothing to do with marital discord. “This year people couldn’t even fathom that I was making a choice for myself,” Obama said. “They had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing. This couldn’t be a grown woman just making a set of decisions for herself, right?” She added, “That’s what society does to us. We start actually finally going, What am I doing? Who am I doing this for?’ And if it doesn’t fit into the stereotype of what people think we should do, then it gets labeled as something negative and horrible.” The bestselling author and former First Lady, who spent eight years in the White House without scandal — unless one counts Barack Obama’s infamous tan suit — said her efforts to make room for her voice and decisions have often been misinterpreted. “I feel like it’s time for me to make some big girl decisions about my life and own it fully,” she said. “Because if not now, when? What am I waiting for? Look, the summers are—we’re in the summer countdown at 61, right? It’s not so tragic if something happens to you and you’re 80. So now is the time for me to start asking myself these hard questions of who do I truly want to be every day?” Michelle also spoke about the discomfort women often feel when asserting themselves. “When I say ‘no,’ for the most part, people are like, ‘I get it,’ and I’m OK,” she said. “That’s the thing that we, as women, I think we struggle with — disappointing people.” Despite the rumor mill, the Obamas have continued to share affectionate public messages. On Valentine’s Day, Barack posted a photo with Michelle, writing, “Thirty-two years together, and you still take my breath away.” Michelle echoed the sentiment in her post: “If there’s one person I can always count on, it’s you, @BarackObama. You’re my rock. Always have been. Always will be.” The couple met in 1988 at a Chicago law firm. Michelle, a 25-year-old Harvard Law graduate, was assigned to mentor Barack, then a summer associate finishing law school. They married in 1992 and have two daughters, Malia, 26, and Sasha, 23. Many on social media, especially in Black communities, were quick to ridicule the divorce rumors, pointing out that the Obamas — whose biggest scandal was wearing a tan suit — are still treated with more suspicion than Donald Trump, a twice-impeached and 34-time convicted felon who routinely is ensconced in scandals. “This couldn’t be a grown woman just making a set of decisions for herself, right?” Michelle Obama said.
By Stacy M. Brown BlackPressUSA.com Senior National Correspondent
Since the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965, Republicans have worked relentlessly to chip away at protections for voters — particularly Black Americans, other people of color, and women. Those efforts reached a fever pitch after Barack Obama’s historic victories in 2008 and 2012, which sparked what many observers say was the modern white supremacist movement and reignited GOP efforts to suppress the vote. Now, with Donald Trump’s return to the White House and Republicans emboldened by a far-right agenda, the House has passed one of the most aggressive voter suppression bills in decades — the so-called SAVE Act, or “Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act.” The legislation, passed by a 220–208 vote, would require in-person documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote — a move voting rights experts warn will disenfranchise millions of eligible voters, especially women and people of color. What’s more, four Democrats — Jared Golden, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Henry Cuellar, and Ed Case — broke ranks and supported the bill. Trump, who once promised on the campaign trail that his supporters would never have to vote again, now appears to be halfway to delivering on that threat. The SAVE Act, introduced by Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, would amend the National Voter Registration Act to require in-person citizenship verification using documents such as a birth certificate, passport, or naturalization certificate. It would effectively end online and mail voter registration, severely restrict voter registration drives, and allow lawsuits against election officials who do not enforce the new rules. Voting rights advocates say this would create enormous hurdles for poor people, rural residents, Black Americans, naturalized citizens, and the nearly 70 million women whose current legal names differ from those on their birth certificates due to marriage. “This is a dangerous and unnecessary attack on voting rights that could block millions of eligible citizens from voting,” said Molly McGrath, director of the ACLU’s national democracy campaigns. “This isn’t about protecting voters or our elections. It’s about politicians who want to protect themselves and pick and choose their voters. But that’s not how democracy works.” Critics also point out that it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections — a crime punishable under law. Federal law mandates that registrants swear under penalty of perjury that they are citizens. Noncitizen voting is exceedingly rare, and courts have repeatedly blocked states from adding proof-of-citizenship requirements in federal races. The ACLU condemned the bill, citing its resemblance to a now-defunct Kansas law that purged more than 30,000 voters before it was struck down in federal court. The group urged the Senate to reject the measure, which they say would destabilize election administration and disproportionately impact naturalized citizens, Native American voters, first-time voters, and those with limited access to personal documentation. The Legal Defense Fund (LDF) also slammed the legislation. “The SAVE Act erects a discriminatory barrier to the ballot while pretending to ‘solve’ a problem that does not exist,” said Janai S. Nelson, President and Director-Counsel of LDF. “Its true purpose, rooted in fear of the multiracial democracy the United States can and must become, is to limit access to the ballot and stifle the political power of our increasingly diverse electorate.” Under the bill’s provisions, rural residents without access to government offices, married women whose identification does not match their birth certificates, and young voters without driver’s licenses would face some of the steepest barriers to registration. Studies show that only half of all Americans — and just one-third of Black Americans — hold valid U.S. passports. Nearly half of all Black Americans under 30 do not have a driver’s license with their current name and address. “The SAVE Act would cause nothing but harm to Black communities, rural communities, and so many others who would be stripped of their right to vote if it becomes law,” Nelson said. The law’s potential effects extend beyond individuals. Voter registration drives, which have long played a crucial role in expanding access to the ballot in marginalized communities, would be all but destroyed. And with racial turnout disparities widening over the last decade, advocates say the stakes couldn’t be higher. Rep. Joe Morelle of New York, the ranking member of the House Administration Committee, denounced the bill. “My Republican colleagues crafted and passed one of the most damaging voter suppression bills in modern history. There’s no doubt that women, military members, and people of color will be disproportionately impacted,” he said. “The fight to stop this bill — to protect Americans’ sacred right to vote — is not over. I will do everything in my power to ensure every eligible American has access to the ballot box.” The Senate’s path forward on the SAVE Act remains uncertain. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, has introduced a companion bill with 20 Republican co-sponsors. However, Senate Republicans would still need at least 60 votes to overcome a Democratic filibuster and send the bill to Trump’s desk.
