ALERT: Trump Plans to Use Passport Data as Filter in Legislative Elections

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The U.S. State Department is evaluating sharing passport data with other federal agencies, state governments, and nonprofit organizations before the November 2026 legislative elections. According to initial reporting by The Hill, the stated objective is to verify the identity and citizenship of registered voters.

What Does the State Department Plan to Do With Passports?

A spokesperson for the federal agency explained that the initiative seeks to «protect Americans’ data, prevent fraud, and support the integrity of U.S. citizenship.» The State Department plans to publish an official notice in the Federal Register, the daily publication of the federal government.

That document would propose sharing information contained in the passport services records system with other publicly unidentified agencies. The records include personal data of all people who have requested a U.S. passport at any time.

According to court documents cited by Democracy Docket, the information would be shared with entities that use federal verification systems. The purpose would be to confirm identity or citizenship to access government websites, verify electoral eligibility, and other public services.

What Did the Supreme Court Decide About the SAVE System?

On Friday, September 25, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed reactivation of the system known as Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE). This tool, administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), combines citizenship data, Social Security numbers, and other confidential information.

The court, in a 6-3 vote, temporarily suspended a June court order that had blocked the modified version of the system. The justices determined that a 1996 law allows DHS to obtain citizenship information from other federal agencies.

The majority opinion noted that the federal government has «the obligation to respond» to requests from state election authorities seeking to verify the citizenship of their voters.

Why Does This Data Sharing Concern Democrats?

Democratic lawmakers and voting rights organizations fear that the system could generate misidentifications. There is concern that naturalized citizens or eligible voters could appear incorrectly classified as people without citizenship.

David Becker, an election law expert and director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, explained that federal law prohibits mass voter purges within 90 days before an election. That restriction currently limits the immediate impact of the court decision on

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