politics
Federal judge rules Trump administration voter data system unlawful
A federal judge ruled Monday that an expanded federal system used to verify voter eligibility violates privacy laws and cannot be used in its current form. More than 60 million voter records have already been processed through the system.
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A federal judge on Monday ruled that a Trump administration system to aggregate Americans' personal data for voter eligibility checks is unlawful and cannot be used in its current form. U.S. District Court Judge Sparkle Sooknanan issued the 75-page ruling after finding that federal agencies lacked statutory authority to overhaul the SAVE system.
use The SAVE system, run by U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services, was previously used for individual checks on foreign-born individuals seeking government benefits. Last year, the Department of Homeland Security expanded the system with assistance from DOGE to enable bulk checks and added Social Security Administration data.
Several states have already run their full voter lists through the revamped system. In April, a USCIS spokesperson said more than 60 million voter records had been processed, with 21,000 flagged as potential noncitizens.
Court findings and responses The ruling found that the expanded SAVE system violated the Privacy Act and Administrative Procedure Act. " A DHS general counsel posted on X that the ruling prevents the department from addressing alien voting. The federal government can appeal the decision.
Marcia Johnson of the League of Women Voters, a plaintiff in the case, called the decision "a resounding victory for voters" in a statement. Nikhel Sus, a lawyer with Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said the ruling confirms the system is unlawful without congressional authorization.
