The US Supreme Court on Friday, September 25, temporarily allowed the Trump administration to resume its expanded federal voter citizenship checking system. The order pauses a lower court ruling that had blocked the modified Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements program, known as SAVE. States may again use it to check voter records while an appeal proceeds, according to the court.
The Department of Homeland Security expanded SAVE in 2025 after President Donald Trump directed federal agencies to help state and local officials verify the citizenship of people registering to vote or already registered. The revised system links to Social Security Administration records and permits officials to submit many names in a single search. Its earlier version primarily checked immigration records for public benefit programs, the justices explained.
The Supreme Court said federal immigration law likely permits the information sharing at issue, despite the challengers' arguments under privacy and Social Security laws. It stayed a June 22 district court order that had set aside the revised system. The three liberal justices dissented, and the court's action leaves the broader lawsuit and appeal unresolved.
The League of Women Voters, the Electronic Privacy Information Center and individual voters challenged the changes. They argue that inaccurate citizenship data could cause eligible voters, including naturalized citizens, to be flagged incorrectly. The court acknowledged that one plaintiff's Social Security record did not reflect her naturalization and that she could have been asked for additional proof of citizenship.
The administration says the system helps states identify noncitizens on voter rolls. According to Associated Press reporting, states are free to decide whether to use SAVE, and federal rules restrict systematic removals from voter rolls close to an election. Those limits mean the order does not by itself require states to change their procedures or authorize an immediate nationwide purge.
The ruling arrives before the November congressional elections, when disputes over voter eligibility and federal access to personal records carry political weight. The appeals court will continue considering the underlying case; the Supreme Court's stay remains in effect under the terms of its order while that process runs. The final legality of the expanded program has not yet been decided.
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