The Expansion of SAVE: A Deep Dive

For years, SAVE primarily served as a tool to verify the immigration status of individuals applying for federal benefits. It contained information on those who had directly interacted with DHS, such as permanent residents. State and local officials used it on a case-by-case basis. However, a May 15 data-sharing agreement with the Social Security Administration (SSA) dramatically altered the system’s scope. This agreement, posted on the SSA website, incorporated confidential data on hundreds of millions of Americans, including full Social Security numbers, addresses, birth dates, and criminal records.

From Targeted Verification to Mass Data Checks

The addition of SSA data allows for bulk searches using Social Security numbers, a capability previously unavailable. This has enabled states to proactively scan their voter rolls for potential discrepancies. Early results from states like Texas and Louisiana, however, indicate that non-citizen voting is not widespread. Texas identified approximately 2,724 potential non-citizens – roughly 0.015% of its 18 million registered voters. Louisiana found a similar rate of about 0.014% among its 2.8 million voters. These findings contradict claims of rampant voter fraud.

Privacy Risks and Lack of Transparency

Experts warn that the expanded SAVE system poses significant privacy risks. The agreement contains few details on data security and lacks clear guidelines for accuracy. Furthermore, it doesn’t prohibit DHS from using the SSA data for purposes beyond voter verification, including immigration enforcement. This raises concerns about mission creep and the potential for misuse of sensitive personal information. Naomi Gilens, counsel for Protect Democracy, emphasizes the importance of considering the long-term implications of such broad data consolidation: “That is a very invasive picture that starts to be painted, in one place, for every individual who lives here’s private lives.”

This data-sharing initiative is part of a broader trend within the Trump administration to tap into traditionally protected federal databases. Similar concerns were raised regarding efforts to access IRS tax data for immigration enforcement purposes, as reported by ProPublica. The lack of transparency surrounding these data-pooling efforts is fueling legal challenges.

Several privacy lawyers believe the expansion of SAVE violates federal law, specifically the requirement to issue a system of records notice informing the public about data collection and usage. Advocacy groups have already filed a lawsuit alleging violations of the Privacy Act. Federal officials, however, maintain that existing statutes authorize the information sharing, arguing they will exercise caution in identifying non-citizens.

Internal Doubts and Expanding Reach

Even within the administration, concerns have been voiced. Leland Dudek, former acting SSA commissioner, expressed skepticism about DHS’s ability to accurately flag non-citizens, stating, “They are probably going to make some massive mistakes.” Despite these concerns, the use of SAVE is expanding. As of this summer, Homeland Security officials had run over 33 million voters through the system, according to NPR. The ACLU has obtained documents showing that ten additional states have signed agreements to use SAVE for voter roll vetting since the beginning of 2025, bringing the total to twenty.

The Justice Department is also actively seeking access to state voter registration lists, citing federal voter roll maintenance laws. States refusing to comply are facing lawsuits. Some states, unwilling to directly share voter data with the Justice Department, are instead uploading it to the SAVE system.

Did You Know?: The SAVE system initially focused solely on verifying the status of immigrants who had contact with DHS, not on conducting broad checks of all registered voters.

The system’s accuracy is further compromised by outdated or incomplete citizenship information within the SSA database, particularly for naturalized citizens. Kathleen Romig, of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, warns, “If there’s Jane Smith that is a citizen, and a Jane Smith that isn’t, you don’t want to disenfranchise the citizen Jane Smith by accident.”

Federal officials are planning to further expand SAVE by incorporating passport information from the State Department, raising even more concerns about data security and potential errors.

What safeguards should be in place to protect citizens from being wrongly flagged as non-citizens? And how can we balance the need for election integrity with the fundamental right to privacy?

Frequently Asked Questions About SAVE and Voter Verification

• What is the SAVE system and how does it work?

  The Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) is a DHS system used to verify immigration status. It now includes SSA data, allowing for broader checks of voter rolls against citizenship records.

• What are the primary concerns regarding the expanded SAVE system?

  The main concerns center around privacy risks, potential inaccuracies leading to disenfranchisement, and the lack of transparency regarding data security and usage.

• What has been the initial outcome of using SAVE to check voter rolls?

  Initial results from states like Texas and Louisiana show a very low rate of potential non-citizen voters – less than 0.02% of registered voters.

• Is the expansion of SAVE legal?

  The legality of the expansion is being challenged in court, with advocacy groups arguing it violates the Privacy Act and other federal laws.

• What data is now included in the SAVE system?

  The SAVE system now includes full Social Security numbers, addresses, birth dates, criminal records, and immigration histories of millions of Americans, in addition to its original immigration data.

• What is the government’s justification for expanding SAVE?

  The government argues the expansion is necessary to ensure election integrity and comply with federal voter roll maintenance laws.