The Trump administration has agreed to overhaul a federal immigration-status verification system, closing out litigation brought by Florida and several other states that accused the government of blocking access to data needed to confirm voter eligibility.
In a settlement filed Friday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security pledged to establish data-sharing agreements with Florida, Indiana, Iowa and Ohio to strengthen and modernize the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program.
Under the agreement, DHS must—within 60 days—ensure that the SAVE online portal is free to use for state, tribal, territorial and local governments, capable of processing searches using full or partial Social Security numbers, able to handle bulk verification requests, and structured to provide supporting data behind each verification.
Faster Verifications, Clearing Backlogs
DHS also committed to wiping out all pending verification requests within 30 business days when states submit full or partial Social Security numbers. Additionally, the agency must ensure that SAVE can produce an initial verification within 48 hours when states furnish a first and last name, date of birth, and either an immigration number or a Social Security number.
Florida and its Department of State filed the suit in October 2024, later joined by Indiana, Iowa and Ohio. The states argued that DHS withheld information crucial to determining voter eligibility and claimed the SAVE program was insufficient because it demanded immigration-specific identifiers—such as USCIS arrival/departure documents or naturalization certificate numbers—rather than commonly available non-DHS records like driver’s licenses or Social Security numbers.
