Particle.news
Download on the App Store

GOP States Settle With DHS to Run Bulk Citizenship Checks on Voters

Four states gain access to the upgraded SAVE system under a 90‑day implementation plan.

Signs indicate a polling place at Miami City Hall, on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Poll workers prepare ahead of the opening of a voting site at Miami City Hall, on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Overview

  • Florida, Indiana, Iowa and Ohio ended lawsuits by agreeing to terms with the Department of Homeland Security over voter citizenship verification.
  • The settlement enables batch searches using names, dates of birth and government‑issued numbers, with initial verification returned within 48 hours.
  • The states must negotiate memoranda of understanding and a new information‑sharing agreement with DHS within 90 days.
  • The agreement contemplates sharing limited driver's license data, including up to 1,000 randomly selected records, to help modernize the SAVE database.
  • Voting rights groups have sued over the SAVE expansion, and the Department of Justice has asked at least half the states for complete voter rolls, drawing scrutiny from Democratic election officials.