Federal Tool Flags U.S. Citizens in Voter Roll Checks
A federal data system known as SAVE, recently overhauled by the Trump administration, is being utilized by states to identify noncitizen voters. This system has reportedly flagged U.S. citizens as potential noncitizens, leading to challenges to their voter registrations.
Texas Implementation and Individual Cases
Anthony Nel, a 29-year-old U.S. citizen residing in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, received a letter from Denton County election officials questioning his voter eligibility. The notice stated that information from the Texas Secretary of State indicated he might not be a U.S. citizen and required proof of citizenship within 30 days to avoid registration cancellation. Nel, who was born in South Africa and became a U.S. citizen as a teenager, had his registration canceled after not providing documentation within the specified timeframe.
In October, Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson identified 2,724 individuals on the state's voter rolls as "potential noncitizens" using the SAVE system. This figure represents approximately 0.015% of Texas's more than 18 million registered voters. County election officials were directed to investigate these flagged voters. Denton County, for instance, reported that out of 84 flagged registered voters, 14 proved their citizenship, 14 were determined to be noncitizens registered in error, and 55, including Nel, had their registrations canceled due to non-response to the notice.
Overview of the SAVE System
Originally designed to check the eligibility of foreign-born individuals for government benefits, the Trump administration has modified SAVE to verify U.S. citizenship for voter registration purposes. As of May, SAVE is linked to data from the Social Security Administration (queried with name, date of birth, and last four digits of a Social Security number). More recently, it has integrated with the State Department's U.S. passport database, allowing lookups via passport numbers.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has stated that SAVE is a secure and reliable tool for states to verify citizenship and prevent noncitizens from voting. Over 47 million voter records have been processed through SAVE. States that have announced results from SAVE checks include Louisiana (79 likely noncitizens in elections since the 1980s), Tennessee (42 potential noncitizens referred to the FBI), and Indiana (at least 21 noncitizens identified).
Concerns Regarding Accuracy and Privacy
Election experts have expressed concerns about the reliability of the overhauled SAVE system, citing the potential for eligible voters to be incorrectly flagged. The changes to SAVE were implemented without public notice or congressional input.
Questions have also been raised about the system's compliance with federal privacy laws, particularly given its use of sensitive Social Security data for a new purpose and its retention of voter data for 10 years. There are plans to expand SAVE further by adding additional data sources, including driver's license numbers via Nlets, a private entity that facilitates information sharing among law enforcement agencies.
- State Opposition: Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon and 11 other Democratic secretaries of state publicly commented against the SAVE changes, expressing concern about the tool's accuracy in identifying noncitizens.
- County Criticism: Officials in Travis County, Texas, described the list of potential noncitizens from the Secretary of State's office as "unfiltered and unvetted." They noted that a quarter of the voters flagged in their county had registered at the Department of Public Safety (DPS), where proof of citizenship is typically provided. The Texas Secretary of State's office did not cross-check SAVE results with DPS records before sharing the list with counties.
Known System Limitations and Voter Impact
USCIS's own fact sheet acknowledges a limitation in SAVE: it may not confirm citizenship for individuals who acquired it as foreign-born children of naturalized parents (such as Anthony Nel) if they have not received a Certificate of Citizenship or are not designated as U.S. citizens in Social Security Administration records. A Privacy Impact Assessment published by DHS further indicates that SAVE may produce inaccurate results due to data entry errors, transposed numbers, or incomplete information, noting that queries using only Social Security numbers do not allow for a multi-step review process.
Voting rights advocates highlight that some naturalized citizens may face barriers in providing citizenship documents within short deadlines due to access issues, processing times, and associated fees. A 2022 survey found that 7% of adult citizens in Texas, increasing to 12% for those under 30, do not have easy access to citizenship documents. Concerns have also been raised about the practice of canceling voter registrations after a single mailed letter, as there is no confirmation of receipt.