Story perspectives

D.C. Circuit Rejects Trump Bid to Lift SAVE Ban

9/6/2026

Summary

Story summary

D.C. Circuit Court rejected the Trump administration’s bid to lift SAVE ban.
Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan and Judge Robert Wilkins said the system violates laws, revealing Social Security data.
They warned the database could cause citizen errors, forcing voters to prove citizenship or lose registration.
Judge Gregory Katsas dissented, arguing states have long used DHS data.
The court upheld a finding that the SAVE expansion violates the Social Security Act.

History

Historical Context

The 1965 Voting Rights Act spurred Congress to tackle registration barriers, leading to motor-voter proposals in the 1980s and the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, which took effect on Jan 1 1995 and required states to offer uniform registration at DMV and other agencies. The law exempts six states, and the D.C. Circuit’s recent ruling limits new data-sharing programs under that framework.

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Story summary

D.C. Circuit Court rejected the Trump administration’s bid to lift SAVE ban.
Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan and Judge Robert Wilkins said the system violates laws, revealing Social Security data.
They warned the database could cause citizen errors, forcing voters to prove citizenship or lose registration.
Judge Gregory Katsas dissented, arguing states have long used DHS data.
The court upheld a finding that the SAVE expansion violates the Social Security Act.

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