U.S.Court order
Supreme Court stays block on modified SAVE voter citizenship database
The Supreme Court on September 25, 2026 stayed a District of Columbia federal court order that had vacated DHS’s modified Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program used to help states verify voter citizenship. The unsigned majority said challengers likely have standing but are unlikely to succeed on Social Security Act, Privacy Act and APA claims, citing 8 U.S.C. §1373. Justices Jackson, Sotomayor and Kagan dissented.
Order (SCOTUSblog) → · Supreme Court of the United States, BBC News, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Key points
- The Supreme Court stayed a June 2026 D.C. district court order vacating the modified SAVE program.SCOTUSblogSupreme Court of the United States
- The majority said plaintiffs likely have standing but are unlikely to win on the merits under §1373.Supreme Court of the United StatesSCOTUSblog
- The stay lets federal agencies keep assisting states with individualized citizenship checks before the midterms.Supreme Court of the United StatesBBC News
- Justices Jackson, Sotomayor and Kagan dissented, citing voter and privacy harms.SCOTUSblogSupreme Court of the United States
- The case is Department of Homeland Security v. League of Women Voters, No. 26A308.Supreme Court of the United StatesU.S. Department of Homeland Security
Sources4 articles across 4 outlets
BBC News
SCOTUSblog
Supreme Court of the United States
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Filed under
Court orderU.S.U.S.D.D.C.ElectionsData protectionAdministrativeCivil rightsFor practitionersFor governance