WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has created a national citizenship database for the first time, combining data from immigration agencies and the Social Security Administration (SSA). This new system, according to DHS, aims to streamline the process of confirming U.S. citizenship and help reduce voter and benefit fraud.
The centralized database allows state and local election officials to search for a person’s citizenship status directly. Until now, officials had to rely on outdated or hard-to-access systems or ask voters to provide physical documents.
The project expands on the existing Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program and brings together smaller databases within DHS. By adding SSA data, the system can use Social Security numbers to verify identity and citizenship more easily.
DHS officials say the move makes the SAVE program more efficient. In the past, officials often needed a DHS-issued number to check someone’s status. However, Social Security numbers are more common and accessible for many state agencies. The database may soon include data from state Departments of Motor Vehicles (DMVs), according to a report from NPR.
This integration could give the government even broader access to personal records. Officials say the goal is to crack down on fraud. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Noem, USCIS is moving quickly to eliminate benefit and voter fraud among the alien population,” the DHS said in a statement.
However, voter fraud in the U.S. is extremely rare, experts say. Convictions for voter fraud can lead to serious penalties, including prison time. The database is one of the first outcomes from a government initiative called the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. Formed during the Trump administration, DOGE has pushed to connect and merge records from across the federal government.
Reports show DOGE is trying to create a single data hub. This hub would provide easy access to large amounts of personal information stored across agencies like the IRS, SSA, and others. The move has triggered lawsuits and strong pushback from civil liberties advocates and unions.
In Maryland, union members sued the Office of Personnel Management, the Treasury Department, and the Education Department. They claim these agencies shared personal data with Doge officials who had no reason to access the information. A federal judge temporarily blocked the SSA from sharing more data.
“This intrusion into the personal affairs of millions of Americans — absent an adequate explanation for the need to do so — is not in the public interest,” U.S. District Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander wrote.
Privacy advocates say this database was built with little public input, violating rules under the Privacy Act of 1974. The law requires federal agencies to notify the public when collecting or using personal data in new ways. Legal experts are also concerned that a centralized citizenship database bypasses key privacy protections built into each federal agency.
The creation of the database has alarmed many immigration and civil rights groups. They worry the system could be misused to target immigrant communities or people with unclear documentation.
“The premise of noncitizen voter fraud is one that officials, including President Trump, have used as a pretext to discredit and intimidate entire communities,” said Citlaly Mora of Just Futures Law, a group focused on immigration rights.
“This database is the latest iteration of Doge’s attempt to weaponize the data of the millions of people that live in the U.S. They are building this database without transparency and without consulting the public,” Mora added.
The government hired Palantir, a well-known tech firm, to help build parts of the system. Palantir has faced criticism for its past work with U.S. immigration enforcement. A group of Democratic lawmakers warned the company that the creation of a “mega-database” of Americans’ tax and personal records could break the law.
“This is a surveillance nightmare,” the lawmakers wrote, “that will make it easier for Donald Trump’s administration to spy on and target his growing list of enemies and other Americans.”
Palantir denies any role in mass surveillance. The company said it does not operate government databases or control how they are used. As the new citizenship database rolls out, legal challenges and privacy concerns continue to grow. Advocates urge more oversight and public transparency before expanding access to millions of Americans’ personal data.
