Story perspectives

Supreme Court Lifts Stay, Lets States Use SAVE Database

By Drooid · Sep 25, 2026, 11:14 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

The U.S. Supreme Court lifted a stay, allowing states to use the SAVE database for citizenship verification.
The Court ruled 6-3, with Justices Sotomayor, Kagan and Jackson dissenting.
Critics say the outdated SAVE system generates false non-citizen flags that could disenfranchise voters.
In Missouri, SAVE flagged 691 voters, but 81% were later confirmed as citizens.
Texas officials found dozens of flagged voters were citizens after passport verification.

History

Historical Context

The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, effective April 1 1997, expanded federal removal powers and launched the 287(g) program that lets state agencies enforce immigration rules. That precedent enabled states such as Missouri and Texas to adopt federal verification tools for voter registration, and the Supreme Court’s recent 6-3 ruling lifting a stay lets them continue using the contested system.

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Story summary

The U.S. Supreme Court lifted a stay, allowing states to use the SAVE database for citizenship verification.
The Court ruled 6-3, with Justices Sotomayor, Kagan and Jackson dissenting.
Critics say the outdated SAVE system generates false non-citizen flags that could disenfranchise voters.
In Missouri, SAVE flagged 691 voters, but 81% were later confirmed as citizens.
Texas officials found dozens of flagged voters were citizens after passport verification.

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