A newly surfaced June 6 video shows Sen. Elissa Slotkin saying the SAVE America Act would make it hard for Democrats "in any state" to win elections after the Senate rejected the bill 48-50.
The measure would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register and photo ID to vote in federal elections, while also pushing states to remove noncitizens from voter rolls.
Slotkin argued the bill could "rig our democracy" and burden some married women whose birth certificates do not match their current names, potentially requiring extra documents such as marriage certificates.
Republicans seized on the remarks as validation of Trump's claim that Democrats oppose stricter voter rules for political reasons, while the White House said voter ID and citizenship proof are common-sense safeguards.
The clash adds to one of Congress's biggest election fights, with Trump making the bill a top priority even after research cited in the report said noncitizen voter registration is rare.