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Federal Judge Rules Trump Administration Violated Voter Privacy in DHS Program
A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration made illegal changes to a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) program during its efforts to identify noncitizen voters. This decision, handed down by U.S. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan, strongly criticized…
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Key points
- A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration illegally changed a DHS program to identify noncitizen voters.
- The ruling criticized federal officials for violating Americans’ privacy rights.
- Potential consequences of the ruling could impact election security measures leading up to the midterms.
NewsWK — A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration made illegal changes to a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) program during its efforts to identify noncitizen voters. This decision, handed down by U.S. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan, strongly criticized federal officials for violating the privacy rights of millions of Americans.
Judge Sooknanan’s 75-page ruling comes as a significant blow to the Trump administration’s efforts to assert control over state elections in the lead-up to the November midterms. Under the previous administration, DHS had attempted to obtain state voter rolls to integrate into the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program.
“All in all, the federal government has knowingly trampled on the privacy rights of American citizens in a manner that threatens the sacred right to vote,” Judge Sooknanan stated in her ruling.
The SAVE program, which has traditionally been used to verify immigrant eligibility for government benefits, was altered to allow broader searches of voter rolls. While some states with Republican leadership complied with the request to share their voter information, many others have resisted, resulting in lawsuits from the Justice Department against 30 states for unredacted copies of their voter rolls.
Judge Sooknanan’s ruling could hinder the administration’s ability to implement an executive order aimed at restricting mail-in voting, which relies on the compilation of voting-age citizens’ lists from various federal databases.
In response to the ruling, James Percival, General Counsel for Homeland Security, expressed frustration, stating, “It’s amazing how hard the Left will fight to stop us from solving problems they insist do not exist.”
Experts and advocates for election integrity have voiced concerns about the SAVE program, arguing that it can produce errors and improperly flag U.S. citizens as noncitizens. Marcia Johnson from the League of Women Voters remarked, “Efforts to create a federal voter database to facilitate voter purges threaten the fundamental right at the heart of our democracy.”
The decision is rooted in a lawsuit initiated by the League of Women Voters and the Electronic Privacy Information Center, which challenged the legality of the changes made to the SAVE system. The judge found that the program had violated federal laws concerning the sharing of Social Security numbers and personal data.
As the midterm elections approach, uncertainty looms for election officials. Pamela Smith, president of Verified Voting, commented, “The closer we get to the midterms, it raises your blood pressure.”
The Trump administration’s plans for the SAVE program included a requirement for states to run their voter rolls through the system in order to qualify for certain federal funding. This change could potentially impact voters in several states, including Delaware, Georgia, and New Jersey.
As the situation develops, the Trump administration may appeal the judge’s ruling, which could further complicate their election-related initiatives before the midterms.
Based on reporting by Jonathan Shorman originally published by Stateline. Read the original story.
