Trump thwarted in hunt for rare noncitizen voters as midterms near

Key Points:

• President Trump’s efforts to identify and remove noncitizen voters ahead of the midterm elections have not resulted in significant purges, with experts noting that noncitizen voting is rare and federal law limits mass removals close to elections.
• The U.S. Supreme Court ruled states can access Homeland Security’s SAVE system to verify voter citizenship, but the decision’s immediate impact is limited due to a 90-day pre-election quiet period that restricts mass voter roll purges.
• Critics warn that the SAVE system relies on outdated and inaccurate data, leading to false positives and risking disenfranchisement of lawful voters, while supporters argue it is a necessary tool to prevent illegal voting.
• Data shows noncitizen voting is extremely rare, with studies indicating a tiny fraction of votes cast by noncitizens, and investigations revealing many flagged cases are due to administrative errors or false matches.
• Legal challenges continue, including a recent court block on requiring states to use SAVE for FEMA grants, and ongoing debates over election security legislation and the scope of voter roll maintenance before elections.