The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Texas, allowing the state to continue using expanded federal citizenship records to verify voter eligibility. The justices stayed a lower court's judgment that had blocked the practice.
Texas uses an expanded version of the federal Department of Homeland Security's SAVE system (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) to verify that people on voter rolls are U.S. citizens. Activist groups sued to block the expanded program after President Donald Trump increased its scope.
A federal district court ruled against the federal government and Texas in June 2026, setting aside the modified system. The Supreme Court's decision allows it to resume while litigation continues. In its ruling, the court concluded that the plaintiffs' claims likely lack merit and noted that federal law requires the Department of Homeland Security to respond to state requests for citizenship verification information.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton had intervened in the case in April 2026 to defend the state's use of the expanded system. "Today's Supreme Court ruling is a win for the integrity of our elections and the democratic process," Paxton said. "Texas must continue to be able to utilize resources that help us keep our elections fair and secure in order to protect the voice of the American people."