Supreme Court lets Trump admin resume voter citizenship checks with SAVE
Supreme Court allows Trump administration to resume voter citizenship verification using SAVE system.
Why it matters: This ruling impacts election administration nationwide just weeks before the 2026 midterms, affecting legal professionals handling election law and policy regarding voter eligibility enforcement.
- On September 25, 2026, the Supreme Court in a 6-3 decision paused a lower court order blocking the expanded SAVE system.
- The SAVE system links Social Security and citizenship records to verify voter citizenship for about 27 states.
- Since May 2025, over 65 million voter registrations have been checked using SAVE, with 28,635 flagged for further review as potential non-citizens.
- Voting rights groups warn the system may wrongly flag eligible voters, particularly naturalized citizens, citing privacy and accuracy concerns.
On September 25, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to resume using the expanded Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system to verify voter citizenship. The 6-3 decision stayed a June 22 lower court order that had blocked the program, which linked Social Security Administration data with citizenship records to conduct bulk searches.
Approximately 27 states currently use the SAVE system, which since May 2025 has checked over 65 million voter registrations. This has led to 28,635 records being flagged for possible non-citizenship and further review. The federal government argues the program is vital for maintaining the integrity of voter rolls by identifying non-citizens who may be registered to vote.
Voting rights organizations, including the League of Women Voters, have challenged the expanded SAVE system, warning it creates an "error-laden master citizenship database" that risks incorrectly flagging eligible naturalized citizens and threatening privacy rights. The District Court had previously ruled the program violated privacy laws.
The Supreme Court's unsigned opinion emphasized that "the federal Government has an obligation to respond to requests from state and local election officials seeking to verify the citizenship of voters." The ruling allows the Department of Homeland Security to continue use of SAVE while legal challenges proceed, raising critical issues around election integrity, voter privacy, and access ahead of the November 2026 midterms.
By the numbers:
- 6-3 — Supreme Court vote on September 25, 2026, allowing SAVE usage
- 65 million — Voter registrations checked using SAVE since May 2025
- 28,635 — Records flagged for potential non-citizenship for further review
Yes, but: The expanded SAVE system may misidentify eligible voters, particularly naturalized citizens, raising concerns about wrongful disenfranchisement and privacy violations.
What's next: Legal challenges to the SAVE system will continue, and implementation details by states are expected to evolve as the November 2026 midterm elections approach.