By Ashlee Banks
Special to the AFRO
U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) recently joined leaders from the Black Women’s Roundtable (BWR) for a press conference at the U.S. Capitol, calling on Congress to protect voting access and economic equity ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The event, organized as part of the BWR’s annual summit, held on March 12, came as the chamber faces intense internal division over the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act. The Republican-led measure, which requires proof of citizenship for voter registration and seeks to curtail no-excuse mail-in voting, has become a flashpoint in the legislative session.
Alsobrooks told the AFRO that she is “honored to stand shoulder to shoulder” with members of the Black Women’s Roundtable.
“[These] women are committed to the fight for justice and opportunity, [and] understand the power that comes in our solidarity,” said the Democratic senator. “During this season of challenge, we continue to stand together and fight for our shared beliefs in democracy, justice, economic opportunity and freedom.”
The legislative battle centers on the SAVE America Act’s attempt to amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. While federal law already prohibits noncitizens from voting, the new bill would mandate that states verify citizenship through specific documentation, such as passports or birth certificates, rather than the current system of self-attestation under penalty of perjury.
The 2026 version of the bill also includes provisions for a national photo identification requirement at polling places and mandates that voters provide photocopies of their ID for mail-in ballots.
During an interview with the AFRO, Melanie L. Campbell, president and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, an arm of the BWR, warned that the act would be “catastrophic” for many Americans, especially minority communities.
“Some of the things that our people are concerned about are attacks on our voting rights,” said the organizer. “We are concerned about the Save Act. Most people do not have passports and a lot of people don’t know where their birth certificate is. So, they can say it’s about voter ID and voter integrity but it’s truly not.”
While President Trump has identified the SAVE America Act as his top legislative priority, the bill has encountered resistance not only from Democrats but also from some rural-state Republicans. Senators such as Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) have expressed concerns that banning mail-in voting would impose hardships on their constituents in remote areas.
Conversely, conservative leaders like Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) have advocated for a filibuster to exhaust Democratic opposition. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) has suggested attaching the measure to other legislation, such as the reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which is set to expire in April.
Critics of the bill, including the BWR delegation, argue that the focus on the SAVE Act diverts resources from pressing issues like the wealth gap and maternal health.
Campbell told the AFRO that the Black community is under attack.
“A key core of this is the attack on Black women and our ability to not just survive, but thrive,” said Campbell. “We are going to fight back … part of that is walking the halls of the U.S. Capitol while pushing on the policies that are important to our community.”
As the 2026 midterms approach, advocates at the Roundtable indicated they would pivot toward a national mobilization effort to counter restrictive voting proposals and prioritize economic mobility for Black families.
In the meantime, Campbell told the AFRO that she and other organizers are “still pushing” for the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to pass both chambers of Congress, to strengthen voting rights protections by restoring the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
“We will continue to make voting rights our key priority for Black Americans,” said Campbell.