A number of states are finalizing agreements with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to utilize the federal SAVE Program to assist in the verification of U.S. citizenship of prospective registered voters. The Des Moines Register reports that Iowa is the latest state to request access to the federal data with Secretary of State Matt Schultz announcing the agreement:
After months of negotiations and paperwork, Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz said Wednesday his office will gain access to a federal immigration database it can use to investigate potential voter fraud.Schultz, a Republican, released a signed memorandum of understanding between his office and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that will allow him to tap the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, or SAVE, Program, which tracks the legal status of immigrants.“While there are still many logistics to work out in this process that may take some time, I want to thank the Federal government for finally granting my office access to the federal SAVE program,” Schultz said in a statement. “Ensuring election integrity without voter suppression has been our goal throughout this process. This is a step in the right direction for all Iowans that care about integrity in the election process.”
