Key facts
- The Trump administration is seeking Supreme Court intervention to use a federal database for voter citizenship verification.
- A federal judge previously ruled against the database, citing privacy concerns and unreliable data.
- The administration argues the database is crucial for maintaining election integrity.
- The database integrates Social Security and Department of Homeland Security records for bulk voter eligibility checks.
- The ruling also impacts requirements for proof of citizenship on federal mail-in voter registration forms.
The Trump administration has appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate a revamped immigration database intended for voter citizenship verification. Justice Department lawyers filed a request Tuesday asking the court to overturn a June ruling by a Washington, D.C.-based federal judge that blocked the system.
U.S. District Court Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan permanently barred the administration from using the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program for bulk voter eligibility checks. She ruled that the administration violated privacy laws by merging Social Security and Department of Homeland Security records, creating a database she described as haphazardly assembled and containing unreliable citizenship data.
In their filing, Justice Department lawyers argued that the district court's order threatens election integrity by vacating the federal government's authority to use Social Security data when responding to state requests to verify voter citizenship. The administration views the database as a crucial tool for ensuring only eligible citizens participate in elections.
The ruling also prevents the implementation of a proof of citizenship requirement for individuals registering to vote through the federal mail-in form. The Department of Homeland Security had previously stated its intent to appeal the decision, with General Counsel James Percival criticizing the ruling. Voting rights groups, including the League of Women Voters, hailed the decision as a victory for voters, arguing that federal voter databases facilitate voter purges and threaten the right to vote.