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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.

Iowa Calls the Deal a Win for Election Integrity

In a statement Monday, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird described the settlement as a major win for election security in the state. Bird said DHS had previously told Iowa that “hundreds of noncitizens” appeared on the state’s voter rolls but refused to identify them or grant access to the SAVE database.

“Only American citizens can vote in Iowa elections,” Bird said. “This agreement with the Trump administration will help Iowa safeguard the integrity of our elections for years to come by preventing an illegal vote from canceling out the vote of Iowa citizens.”

DHS and officials in Florida, Indiana and Ohio did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Legal Teams Behind the Settlement

Florida is represented by James Uthmeier, Caleb Stephens, Jeffrey Paul DeSousa and Jason J. Muehlhoff of the Florida Office of the Attorney General, and Ashley E. Davis of the Florida Department of State.
Indiana is represented by Blake E. Lanning and William D. Young of the Indiana Attorney General’s Office.
Iowa is represented by Eric H. Wessan of the Iowa Attorney General's Office.
Ohio is represented by R. Trent McCotter of Boyden Gray PLLC.
DHS is represented by Brett A. Shumate, Andrew I. Warden and Stephen M. Pezzi of the DOJ Civil Division.