Lending further incentive to the Senate to pass the SAVE Act, a majority of voters think non-citizens are on voter registration rolls. The results of the new poll should encourage Senate Republicans to act at a time when passage of the House-passed bill hangs in the balance in the upper chamber of Congress.
With Democratic Senator John Fetterman’s endorsement of proof of citizenship and voter ID there is no reason for further delay on passing the SAVE America Act. The Capitol switchboard is (202) 224-3121, call today to demand Senate Majority Leader John Thune and all Senate Republicans force passage of this essential legislation.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 55% of Likely Voters believe it is likely that non-citizens are illegally registered to vote in the state where they live, including 32% who say it’s Very Likely. Thirty-four percent (34%) don’t think it’s likely there are non-citizens registered to vote in their state, including 16% who consider it Not At All Likely, while 11% are not sure. These findings are almost unchanged from August 2025.
The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which has been strongly backed by President Donald Trump. Eighty-six percent (86%) of voters believe only U.S. citizens should be allowed to vote in U.S. elections.
In February 2024, Elon Musk said that the Biden administration was "encouraging so much illegal immigration" because they wanted them to become voters and "create a permanent majority" for the Democratic Party. Fifty-three percent (53%) of voters agree with that summary – down slightly from 57% who agreed in April 2024 – including 38% who Strongly Agree. Forty-two percent (42%) now disagree with Musk’s claim, including 34% who Strongly Disagree.
Among those who think it is Very Likely that there are non-citizens registered to vote in their state, 87% agree with Musk that Democrats are trying to "create a permanent majority" for their party by encouraging illegal immigration.
Eighty-two percent (82%) of Republicans, 29% of Democrats and 51% of voters unaffiliated with either major party at least somewhat agree with Musk’s claim that Democrats are "encouraging so much illegal immigration" to "create a permanent majority" for the Democratic Party.
Large majorities of every political category – 90% of Republicans, 85% of Democrats and 75% of unaffiliated voters – believe only U.S. citizens should be allowed to vote in U.S. elections.
Seventy-three percent (73%) of Republicans, 42% of Democrats and 51% of unaffiliated voters consider it at least somewhat likely that non-citizens are illegally registered to vote in the state where they live.
Significantly more men (61%) than women voters (46%) agree with Musk that Democrats are trying to "create a permanent majority" for their party by encouraging illegal immigration.
Majorities of every racial category – 90% of whites, 78% of black voters, 80% of Hispanics and 75% of other minorities – believe only U.S. citizens should be allowed to vote in U.S. elections. Black and Hispanic voters are more likely to suspect that non-citizens are illegally registered to vote in the state where they live.
Among those who voted for Trump in the 2024 presidential election, 80% believe it’s at least somewhat likely that non-citizens are illegally registered to vote in the state where they live, but only 31% of Kamala Harris voters share that belief.
The survey of 1,117 U.S. Likely Voters was conducted on January 28-29 and February 1, 2026 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. To see survey question wording, click here.
With Democratic Senator John Fetterman’s endorsement of proof of citizenship and voter ID there is no reason for further delay on passing the SAVE America Act. The Capitol switchboard is (202) 224-3121, call today to demand Senate Majority Leader John Thune and all Senate Republicans force passage of this essential legislation.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 55% of Likely Voters believe it is likely that non-citizens are illegally registered to vote in the state where they live, including 32% who say it’s Very Likely. Thirty-four percent (34%) don’t think it’s likely there are non-citizens registered to vote in their state, including 16% who consider it Not At All Likely, while 11% are not sure. These findings are almost unchanged from August 2025.
The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which has been strongly backed by President Donald Trump. Eighty-six percent (86%) of voters believe only U.S. citizens should be allowed to vote in U.S. elections.
In February 2024, Elon Musk said that the Biden administration was "encouraging so much illegal immigration" because they wanted them to become voters and "create a permanent majority" for the Democratic Party. Fifty-three percent (53%) of voters agree with that summary – down slightly from 57% who agreed in April 2024 – including 38% who Strongly Agree. Forty-two percent (42%) now disagree with Musk’s claim, including 34% who Strongly Disagree.
Among those who think it is Very Likely that there are non-citizens registered to vote in their state, 87% agree with Musk that Democrats are trying to "create a permanent majority" for their party by encouraging illegal immigration.
Eighty-two percent (82%) of Republicans, 29% of Democrats and 51% of voters unaffiliated with either major party at least somewhat agree with Musk’s claim that Democrats are "encouraging so much illegal immigration" to "create a permanent majority" for the Democratic Party.
Large majorities of every political category – 90% of Republicans, 85% of Democrats and 75% of unaffiliated voters – believe only U.S. citizens should be allowed to vote in U.S. elections.
Seventy-three percent (73%) of Republicans, 42% of Democrats and 51% of unaffiliated voters consider it at least somewhat likely that non-citizens are illegally registered to vote in the state where they live.
Significantly more men (61%) than women voters (46%) agree with Musk that Democrats are trying to "create a permanent majority" for their party by encouraging illegal immigration.
Majorities of every racial category – 90% of whites, 78% of black voters, 80% of Hispanics and 75% of other minorities – believe only U.S. citizens should be allowed to vote in U.S. elections. Black and Hispanic voters are more likely to suspect that non-citizens are illegally registered to vote in the state where they live.
Among those who voted for Trump in the 2024 presidential election, 80% believe it’s at least somewhat likely that non-citizens are illegally registered to vote in the state where they live, but only 31% of Kamala Harris voters share that belief.
The survey of 1,117 U.S. Likely Voters was conducted on January 28-29 and February 1, 2026 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. To see survey question wording, click here.
