Courts Block Trump Voter Database and SAVE Program Expansion

Federal courts have dealt a series of legal defeats to Donald Trump and his administration's efforts to nationalize election oversight and purge non-citizens from voter rolls. In a significant precedent, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 that the Department of Justice lacks the legal authority to compel Michigan to release confidential voter registration data. The court found the administration misapplied the Civil Rights Act of 1960, which was designed to prevent discrimination, to instead verify that individuals are ineligible to vote.

Simultaneously, U.S. District Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan blocked the use of the revamped Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program. The court ruled that the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration unlawfully consolidated sensitive personal data, violating the Privacy Act and the Social Security Act. Judge Sooknanan stated the government knowingly trampled on privacy rights, utilizing unreliable data that led to the incorrect removal of eligible U.S. citizens from voter rolls.

Other district courts have followed suit, including Judge Stephanie Gallagher's dismissal of a DOJ lawsuit against Maryland. While approximately 13 to 17 Republican-led states have complied with federal data requests, nine courts have now deemed these demands unlawful. The administration, defended by DHS General Counsel James Percival, maintains these tools are necessary to ensure election integrity. However, advocacy groups and Democratic officials describe the rulings as a victory for voter privacy and a check on federal overreach.