U.S. Senator Alex Padilla slams proposed voter ID rules in SAVE Act | California Politics 360
Senator Alex Padilla, thank you so much for making time for us. Of course, good to be back with you. So you were *** no vote earlier this week to end the shutdown. Why and how much longer do you see this standoff lasting? Well, not quite that simple. This partial government shutdown, the Department of Homeland Security is the one department. That hasn’t been funded and not just me, but all my Democratic colleagues have been clear, you know what, within the Department of Homeland Security there is we should fund. Let’s pay them while we negotiate necessary reforms for how ICE and CBP are doing immigration enforcement in California and throughout the country. Within the Department of Homeland Security is also the Coast Guard and and CISAR cybersecurity Agency. They should all be funded. So let’s move those forward while we negotiate much needed reforms for how we do immigration enforcement, and it’s Republicans that have been blocking these bills. And just to confirm, Republicans in their offer, uh, they wanted to fund all of DHS except for immigration enforcement. Why was that not enough? Well, again, it’s not that straightforward. They have said it publicly that it’s that simple, but when we look at the language of their proposals, one of the problems that we’ve seen over the last year is not just the lack of judicial warrants in *** lot of these immigration raids or the masked up agents that aren’t identifying themselves. That has not been. Addressed in the language that they have shared and you have other non-ICE agents that have been assigned to ICE duties whether it’s, whether it’s, etc. so those dynamics need to be addressed as part of this conversation as well. OK. Are Democrats really trying to hold the line here given what happened with the last government shutdown? Just given the fact that the party really didn’t get what it wanted on the healthcare subsidies. I do believe that Democrats remain united and firm in this position in part because of the experience from the government shutdown from last fall. And so again, I think these asks are more than reasonable and they’re more than clear when it comes to fund them and let’s negotiate the reforms for ICE and immigration enforcement. The Coast Guard fund them while we negotiate these necessary reforms when it comes to the cybersecurity Agency and with FEMA and while we’re on the topic of FEMA, here’s another thing that needs to be addressed. There have been several actions in the last year that have given additional funding. There’s been disasters that have hit not just in California. Remember the fires last year. In Southern California, but other parts of the country for the money that has been authorized, the funds that have been appropriated, you have an administration that is saying yes to disaster relief in states represented by Republicans, but when it comes to states like California represented by Democrats, the money is not flowing. They need to stop playing partisan political games with disaster aid. What’s your message to just the general population, people traveling for spring break, and then also these agents and federal workers who are struggling without pay? Yeah, I mean, the bottom line is it doesn’t have to be this way, and Democrats have put forward responsible plans to fund and pay all their workers. Republicans keep holding them up and to think that their solution is to now send ICE agents to airports. To do jobs that they are not trained for is again an example of how they would rather resort to extreme measures than to negotiate in good faith to address the issues that the general public understands and feels. Are you concerned about security, given, given the lack of funding right now as the country is also at war in Iran? Look, all the more reason they should be saying yes to what we have been saying as *** caucus fund fund the cybersecurity agency. They’ve actually been Enacting cuts and layoffs to the personnel and the capacity of the Cyber Security Agency, which is the agency I worked with when I was California’s Secretary of State, to protect the integrity of our elections, we should be funding FEMA. You have *** president that wants to eliminate and just send that responsibility. To the states, so we’re fighting the fight. We’re fighting the long term fight, and it’s up to Republicans to decide to do the right thing and not just fall in line with whatever Donald Trump tells them to do. My last question on just this topic before we switch gears because I do want to, you mentioned the Save Act. I want to talk about that, but with lawmakers set to go on spring break, what’s next here? As far as I’m concerned, we’re staying here to continue to work on this and to negotiate *** pathway forward. If there’s been an uptick in threats or vulnerabilities to the United States because of military action in Iran, let’s not lose sight of the fact that this is Trump’s war. He began the hostilities without authorization from. Congress and now he’s feigning that he didn’t know what the consequences were going to be. Give me *** break. Professionals, experts in this business know what the impact is of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. American families, Californian families are paying the price of these increased costs. We should be funding all the agencies. Democrats are saying yes, fund. These agencies that keep the homeland secure, but let’s not forget about the much needed reforms for ICE and immigration enforcement. OK, so switching gears, the push at the Capitol right now to impose stricter voting laws, stricter records that would be needed to vote with the Save Act, as California’s former Secretary of State, what about this specifically concerns you? Yeah, well, there’s *** lot to not like about the Save Act because as I hear my Republican colleagues try to present it and pitch it as *** common sense idea, it’s anything but. First of all, there is no massive voter fraud in America. Of all the audits of all the studies, of all the research, it shows that voter fraud is exceedingly. So to start with, it’s *** solution in search of *** problem. Number 2, they’ll claim that what’s wrong with voter ID? Most people support the notion that if you read the language of the bill, what most people would consider *** common type of ID, your driver’s license, for example, that isn’t sufficient to vote under the Republican Save Act. Requires *** passport which half of Americans don’t even have, or an original birth certificate which nobody that I know knows off the top of their head like where exactly it is in their home, in their garage, in their parents’ home, etc. and again this is *** solution in search of *** problem, but let’s talk about why we’re discussing the Save Act and not. Funding the departments like and the Coast Guard. Why are we debating for two weeks now and counting the Save Act when we should be discussing ideas on how to bring down the cost of healthcare, bring down the cost of energy, bring down the cost of gasoline, bring down the cost of housing? It’s not *** secret anymore. Donald Trump has said it. They’re fighting for political survival. Their numbers are so low, their record has been so bad, their only chance of holding on to power this November is to change the rules of the elections, and it’s not before the voting even starts. We’re already in the middle of primary season, so they’re desperate, and this is their last hope. On this topic here back here at home in California, Republicans are also working to get *** proposal that could land on the ballot requiring voter ID at the polls. I mean, and, and that apparently has gained enough signatures to probably land on the ballot. I mean, what’s your response to this push generally to make elections more secure? I mean, do you think more could be done to make them more secure? Yeah, look, again, I served as California’s Secretary of State. We want elections that are free, that are fair, that are safe, and that are secure. Look, I know the infrastructure behind it. I know the elections administrators in all 58 counties in California. Our elections are safe and secure. We need to maintain that while working to make it. Easier for eligible Americans to participate. What we have in the Save Act and voter IDs generally is rules that make it harder for eligible people to register to vote, to stay registered to vote, or to actually cast their ballot. One last measure within the Save Act that I think is important to point out here, there’s language in the bill that would require every state in the nation to turn over to the Department of Homeland Security. Not just the voter rolls, the list of voters in every state, but all their personal information. Why, why the Department of Homeland Security does not play *** role in the election administration. We shouldn’t trust them to manage the voter rolls. We’ve seen 12 states. That have chosen to cooperate with DHS, turn over that data. DHS is now telling them to purge eligible citizens from the voter rolls. This is voter suppression is what it is. They’re calling it the Save Act. It’s voter suppression. Senator Padilla, before I let you go, I don’t know if you’ve heard about this. Uh, down in Southern California, the Riverside County Sheriff, who’s also running for governor Chad Bianco, seized hundreds of thousands of ballots from last year’s election. The attorney general is trying to sue to stop whatever the sheriff might try to do there. Are you familiar with the situation? Do you have any thoughts on that? Well, I’ve, I’ve heard the story. I don’t know all the details, but I can tell you this is the two things that it brings to mind. Number one, reminiscent of an FBI raid in Fulton County, Georgia just *** few weeks ago, seizing the ballot materials from the 2020 election. Without cause, without justification, it seems this is the other point he’s playing for an audience of one. Maybe he does well in the election, he probably won’t, but he’s trying to ingratiate himself to Donald Trump in hopes of an appointment or something. I don’t know. Senator Alex Padilla, we really appreciate your time. Thank you. Thank you.
U.S. Senator Alex Padilla slams proposed voter ID rules in SAVE Act | California Politics 360
Updated: 8:25 AM PDT Mar 29, 2026
Democratic U.S. Senator Alex Padilla this week was frustrated lawmakers in Washington D.C. were debating controversial proposed voter ID rules while the partial government shutdown persisted over Department of Homeland Security funding. The SAVE Act would require United States citizens to show proof of citizenship when registering to vote. It would also require voters to show ID at the polls. Padilla, who was California’s Secretary of State before he was elected to the Senate, said the measure is “anything but” a commonsense idea. “First of all, there is no massive voter fraud in America,” Padilla said in an interview on California Politics 360. “It’s a solution in search of a problem.” Padilla noted a driver’s license would not be sufficient to vote under the proposal. He noted it would require a passport or an original copy of their birth certificate. He also questioned why the proposal seeks to turn over the voter rolls to the Department of Homeland Security. “Why?” he said. “We shouldn’t trust them to manage the voter rolls.” “They’re fighting for political survival,” Padilla said, referring to Republicans pushing the SAVE Act. “Their numbers are so bad, their records are so bad, their only chance to holding onto power this November is to change the rules of the elections.” California voters this year may also see a state proposal When asked if more could be done to make elections even more secure, Padilla said he knows the infrastructure behind the system in California from his previous role. “Our elections are safe and secure,” Padilla said. “We need to maintain that while working to make it easier for eligible Americans to participate.”Riverside Sheriff and candidate for governor Chad Bianco has seized hundreds of thousands of ballots from the last election as part of an effort to look into claims of voter fraud. A spokesperson for the Riverside Superior Court could not say what prompted a judge to approve the seizure when asked this week. Padilla said he had heard the story when asked about the situation. He said it was reminiscent of the Trump administration’s raid of 2020 ballot materials in Georgia. “He’s playing for an audience of one,” Padilla said, referring to Bianco. “He’s trying to ingratiate himself to Donald Trump, for what? An appointment or something? I don’t know.” KCRA 3 Political Director Ashley Zavala reports in-depth coverage of top California politics and policy issues. She is also the host of “California Politics 360.” Get informed each Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on KCRA 3.
Democratic U.S. Senator Alex Padilla this week was frustrated lawmakers in Washington D.C. were debating controversial proposed voter ID rules while the partial government shutdown persisted over Department of Homeland Security funding.
The SAVE Act would require United States citizens to show proof of citizenship when registering to vote. It would also require voters to show ID at the polls.
Padilla, who was California’s Secretary of State before he was elected to the Senate, said the measure is “anything but” a commonsense idea.
“First of all, there is no massive voter fraud in America,” Padilla said in an interview on California Politics 360. “It’s a solution in search of a problem.”
Padilla noted a driver’s license would not be sufficient to vote under the proposal. He noted it would require a passport or an original copy of their birth certificate. He also questioned why the proposal seeks to turn over the voter rolls to the Department of Homeland Security.
“Why?” he said. “We shouldn’t trust them to manage the voter rolls.”
“They’re fighting for political survival,” Padilla said, referring to Republicans pushing the SAVE Act. “Their numbers are so bad, their records are so bad, their only chance to holding onto power this November is to change the rules of the elections.”
California voters this year may also see a state proposal
When asked if more could be done to make elections even more secure, Padilla said he knows the infrastructure behind the system in California from his previous role.
“Our elections are safe and secure,” Padilla said. “We need to maintain that while working to make it easier for eligible Americans to participate.”
Riverside Sheriff and candidate for governor Chad Bianco has seized hundreds of thousands of ballots from the last election as part of an effort to look into claims of voter fraud. A spokesperson for the Riverside Superior Court could not say what prompted a judge to approve the seizure when asked this week.
Padilla said he had heard the story when asked about the situation. He said it was reminiscent of the Trump administration’s raid of 2020 ballot materials in Georgia.
“He’s playing for an audience of one,” Padilla said, referring to Bianco. “He’s trying to ingratiate himself to Donald Trump, for what? An appointment or something? I don’t know.”
KCRA 3 Political Director Ashley Zavala reports in-depth coverage of top California politics and policy issues. She is also the host of “California Politics 360.” Get informed each Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on KCRA 3.