Indiana Secretary of State to use federal tool to verify citizenship of voters

Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (DHS-USCIS), granting the state access to Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) data.

This federal tool will be used to verify the citizenship status of individuals on Indiana’s voter rolls ensuring that only eligible U.S. citizens are registered to vote in Indiana. SAVE data will be used to confirm the citizenship status of registrants who do not have citizenship credentials at hand.

“As someone who knows firsthand what it means to earn U.S. citizenship, I deeply value the rights and responsibilities that come with citizenship— especially the right to vote. This agreement is another step in safeguarding the rights of every eligible Hoosier voter and reflects our commitment to protecting the integrity of our elections,” said Diego Morales, Indiana Secretary of State.”

The SAVE program allows election officials to cross-reference voter registration information with federal immigration data, providing an additional safeguard against noncitizen voting and maintaining the accuracy of the state’s voter rolls. Individuals on the voter rolls whose citizenship cannot be confirmed by BMV, will be notified by mail and have an opportunity to confirm their citizenship status. The citizenship verification process outlined in House Enrolled Act 1264 (2024) and is directed at temporary ID holders who registered to vote.

“Our Constitution and laws are clear—only U.S. citizens are eligible to vote in our elections.  This is not about politics. It’s about protecting the sanctity of the ballot and ensuring Hoosiers can trust that their votes are counted and their elections are secure,” said Diego Morales, Indiana Secretary of State.