Supreme Court permits Trump administration to proceed with expanding federal voter database ahead of November midterms. The decision allows the Department of Homeland Security to integrate Social Security data into the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements system. The move follows a lower court ruling that paused the expansion over privacy concerns.
The court's conservative majority overturned a D.C. Circuit decision that blocked the expansion, allowing the administration to use the database for voter eligibility checks. The database, originally designed for immigrant verification, will now include Social Security and other information on every American. States can still conduct individualized searches ahead of the midterms.
The decision faces criticism from Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who argued the expansion would violate federal law and risk disenfranchising naturalized citizens. The move is part of a broader executive order aimed at verifying voter eligibility, though other aspects of the order have been blocked by lower courts. Experts warn of potential privacy and accuracy issues with the database.
The Supreme Court's ruling comes days after blocking a related rule from the U.S. Postal Service, which would restrict mail voting. The decision highlights ongoing legal and privacy debates surrounding the use of federal databases in election processes.