Legal advocacy group Democracy Forward has filed a lawsuit against the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, alleging that the agency failed to release records sought under the Freedom of Information Act regarding the use of federal immigration databases in election-related activities.
The lawsuit, filed in a federal court in Washington, DC, also names the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice as defendants. The organization is seeking documents related to the administration’s reported use of immigration databases, including the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements programme, to verify voter eligibility and citizenship status.
The FOIA Request
According to Democracy Forward, it submitted multiple FOIA requests seeking communications, policy documents, guidance, inter-agency correspondence, and records relating to the use of immigration databases in election administration.
The group alleges that the agencies failed to respond within the timelines required under federal transparency laws, prompting the lawsuit.
The Broader Debate
The lawsuit comes amid continuing legal and political debate over the Trump administration’s efforts to expand the use of federal immigration records for election-related purposes.
Earlier this year, the Department of Homeland Security broadened access to the SAVE database, enabling election officials in several states to conduct large-scale citizenship verification checks of registered voters.
Supporters say the move strengthens election integrity.
Voting rights advocates argue that database inaccuracies could result in eligible US citizens being wrongly flagged or removed from voter rolls.
What the Lawsuit Seeks
The lawsuit asks the court to order USCIS to process the requests on an expedited basis and produce the requested records so the public can understand the federal government’s actions before the 2026 elections.
The case is one of several FOIA lawsuits filed by Democracy Forward in recent months seeking information about the administration’s immigration and election-related policies.
The Bottom Line
Democracy Forward has sued USCIS, DHS, and DOJ over the agency’s failure to release FOIA records on the use of immigration databases, including SAVE, for voter verification in US elections. The lawsuit comes amid a broader debate over the Trump administration’s expansion of federal immigration records for election-related purposes. The group is seeking expedited release of the records before the 2026 elections.
