The Supreme Court on Friday lifted restrictions on the federal SAVE database, allowing the Trump administration to resume using the system to verify citizenship for voter rolls, according to published reports.
The court’s action comes after the administration asked justices to intervene and clear the way for the Department of Homeland Security to let states use SAVE for voter verification, the New York Times reported on Sept. 8.
Lower courts had blocked the expanded use of SAVE earlier this year. Reuters noted the appeals court refused to revive the overhauled citizenship database after a district judge had found the system error-prone and subject to legal challenge.
Advocates and legal groups had urged the justices to keep the injunction in place, arguing the database could wrongly remove citizens from voter rolls, according to SCOTUSblog. The administration countered that restoring SAVE would help states check registration lists before the November contests, as reported by CBS News.
Legal filings in the Supreme Court docket show briefs and filings tied to the case were submitted in mid-September, reflecting fast-moving litigation over the program, per documents on the court’s website.
Policy makers and lawmakers have already reacted. Senator Mike Lee pushed separately for legislation tied to the SAVE system, according to an item in the site’s internal coverage, and conservative allies had sought court relief to restore the database ahead of the election.
This article will be updated as the Supreme Court releases a full order or opinion clarifying the scope and any limits on SAVE’s restored use.
Sources
- The New York Times — reported the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to allow use of the SAVE database (Sept. 8 filing).
- Reuters — described the appeals court and lower-court rulings that had barred the administration’s SAVE changes and the legal background.
- CBS News — covered the administration’s request and the government’s argument that SAVE would help states verify voter rolls.
- SCOTUSblog — reported groups urging the justices to keep the injunction blocking expanded use of SAVE.
- Supreme Court — docket documents showing briefs and filings related to the SAVE dispute.
