USCIS Expands Voter Verification System Under Trump’s Order to Tighten Citizenship Checks
New rule allows states to verify voters using partial Social Security data as part of efforts to strengthen election integrity and prevent noncitizen voting.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced an expansion of voter citizenship verification tools under the SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) program, which is used by government agencies to confirm the legal status of residents.
Under the new rule, states will be allowed to conduct verification using a voter’s name and only the last four digits of their Social Security Number (SSN), rather than requiring the full number. The move is part of federal efforts to improve the accuracy of voter rolls and detect any potential instances of noncitizen participation in elections.
The SAVE program is traditionally a federal platform used to verify eligibility for public benefits and assistance programs. In recent years, it has also become part of some states’ election record verification processes, amid growing political calls for “election integrity” and ensuring that only U.S. citizens can vote.
USCIS Expands Voter Verification Access for States
According to USCIS, this new tool will streamline verification for states, speeding up data processing without the need for a full SSN or Department of Homeland Security–specific ID.
Government data show that, as of October 2025, state election agencies had submitted approximately 46 million voter verification requests through the SAVE system, while total verification requests — including those from other federal agencies — exceeded 205 million.
There is currently no independent review of these figures, and states handle mismatched cases differently depending on their laws and agreements with USCIS. This may involve contacting the voter, requesting additional documents, updating the record, or in some cases, removing names from voter rolls.
USCIS noted that about 26 states have already signed cooperation agreements or are in the process of doing so, meaning the new system will not be applied uniformly nationwide. State access and use of federal data will remain subject to local election laws. Federal officials say allowing partial SSN verification is expected to speed up audits and routine record checks, reducing the need for manual review.
USCIS Implements Trump’s Order on Citizenship Verification for Voters
The update aligns with an executive order signed by President Donald Trump earlier this year, aimed at tightening citizenship documentation requirements for voters and preventing foreign interference in U.S. elections. The order mandates that the Election Assistance Commission require official proof of citizenship at registration, while the Departments of Homeland Security, Social Security, and State provide databases for states to verify voter eligibility. It also directs the Attorney General to strengthen enforcement against noncitizen voting.
In an official statement, USCIS spokesperson Matthew Traeger said the agency is committed to helping protect the American electoral system by facilitating voter data verification, stressing that the measure supports the principle that “elections in America are the exclusive right of citizens.”
While some have welcomed the change as a boost to election confidence, others argue it addresses a problem that is extremely rare and could create unnecessary hurdles for eligible voters. Amid ongoing political and legal debates, this marks the latest step in a growing series of federal actions aimed at tightening oversight of voter rolls ahead of upcoming elections.
