Trump’s SAVE Program overhaul enables states to swiftly purge non-citizens from voter rolls using Social Security Numbers, potentially removing thousands of illegal immigrants discovered on voting lists across the country.
Key Takeaways
- The Trump administration has revamped the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program to allow states to verify citizenship status using Social Security Numbers alongside alien numbers.
- The House passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE Act) with a 220-208 vote, requiring proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration.
- USCIS has eliminated fees previously charged to states for using the SAVE program, removing financial barriers to citizenship verification.
- The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) discovered thousands of non-citizens on state voter rolls, highlighting the need for enhanced verification measures.
- The reforms allow election officials to submit multiple citizenship verification cases simultaneously, dramatically improving efficiency.
Trump Administration Strengthens Electoral Integrity
President Trump’s administration has implemented crucial reforms to the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program, providing states with powerful new tools to ensure only American citizens can participate in elections. The enhanced system now permits election officials to use Social Security Numbers (SSNs) alongside alien numbers to verify citizenship status, addressing a significant gap in previous verification processes. This reform comes after alarming discoveries by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which found thousands of non-citizens registered on voter rolls across multiple states.
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) July 12, 2024
“For years, states have pleaded for tools to help identify and stop aliens from hijacking our elections. Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Noem, USCIS is moving quickly to eliminate voter fraud. We expect further improvements soon and remain committed to restoring trust in American elections,” said USCIS spokesman Matthew Tragesser.
Congressional Support for Citizenship Verification
The House of Representatives recently passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE Act) with a vote of 220-208, receiving unanimous support from House Republicans and four Democrats. The legislation requires definitive proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration and provides states with greater access to federal immigration data. This legislative effort complements the administrative reforms already implemented by the Trump administration, creating a comprehensive approach to voter roll integrity that addresses the issue at multiple levels of government.
“American elections belong to American citizens, and the public’s confidence in those elections is the cornerstone of our republic,” said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas.
The bill now moves to the Senate where it will require bipartisan support to overcome a potential filibuster. If passed, it would create a uniform federal standard for citizenship verification in voter registration. Speaker Mike Johnson emphasized the necessity of these measures, stating, “We all know, intuitively, that a lot of illegals are voting in federal elections, but it’s not been something that is easily provable.” The enhanced SAVE program aims to provide that proof and eliminate the uncertainty surrounding non-citizen voting.
Streamlined Verification Process
A major breakthrough in the reformed SAVE program is the partnership between U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Social Security Administration. This collaboration enables election officials to submit multiple citizenship verification cases simultaneously, dramatically improving efficiency compared to the previous system that required individual case submissions. Additionally, the Trump administration has eliminated fees previously charged to states for using the SAVE program, removing financial barriers that may have discouraged some jurisdictions from performing thorough citizenship checks.
Despite these improvements, opponents have raised concerns about potential impacts on eligible voters. “They are trying to take something that we all agree on — that only U.S. citizens should vote in U.S. elections — and use that to make it harder for millions of eligible citizens to cast their vote,” claimed Michigan Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.
States Taking Action
Several states are already moving to implement their own proof-of-citizenship requirements for voter registration, with the enhanced SAVE program providing crucial support for these efforts. The Trump administration’s reforms ensure that state and local election officials have access to federal data that can verify citizenship status quickly and accurately. This empowers states to maintain clean voter rolls without facing the technical or financial limitations that hampered previous verification attempts. The removal of fees for using the SAVE program is particularly significant, as it eliminates cost concerns for budget-conscious election offices.
By providing election officials with free, efficient tools to conduct multiple simultaneous citizenship checks, this enhanced approach directly addresses concerns about voter fraud while ensuring that electoral participation is limited to verified citizens. The Trump administration’s commitment to election integrity is evident in these practical reforms that give states the resources they need to enforce existing laws prohibiting non-citizen voting in federal elections.
