State Department Eyes Passport Data to Verify Voter Citizenship

Clear Facts

• The State Department is evaluating whether to grant state and local officials access to passport records to confirm voters are U.S. citizens.
• The plan follows a Supreme Court decision that cleared the way for federal agencies to share citizenship data with states.
• Officials aim to protect Americans’ data while deterring fraud and upholding the integrity of U.S. citizenship.

The Trump administration is advancing a plan to let election officials check passport records to ensure only citizens are registered to vote. This move comes as states prepare for the November midterms and seek reliable tools to keep voter rolls accurate.

The Justice Department outlined the proposal in a recent court filing, noting that the State Department will issue a Federal Register notice as early as Oct. 22 to create a formal pathway for sharing the data. The records would include only the information needed to confirm citizenship status.

“protects Americans’ data, deters fraud and supports the integrity of U.S. citizenship”

The effort builds on a 6-3 Supreme Court ruling issued last week that allowed the Department of Homeland Security to release citizenship information to local governments. That decision removed a major legal obstacle that had blocked earlier attempts to verify voter eligibility.

Previous initiatives relied mainly on Social Security and DHS records, but many of those efforts were stopped by lawsuits. Passport data offers a broader and more direct record of citizenship, giving states another resource for cleaning up rolls.

The filing was submitted in a case brought by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee challenging an executive order on mail voting. The Court recently upheld the injunction that prevents the Postal Service from implementing certain mail-ballot rules, but the citizenship verification provisions remain in place.

Supporters say the plan strengthens election integrity by confirming that every registered voter meets the constitutional requirement of citizenship. Critics argue it raises privacy concerns, though the administration insists strict safeguards will protect personal information.

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