Texas secretary of state refers potential noncitizen voters for investigation
Photographer: Matthew Busch/Bloomberg via Getty Images
AUSTIN, Texas - Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson said dozens of names were sent to the state’s attorney general’s office for investigation into whether they voted as noncitizens during the November 2024 general election.
Nelson said 33 names were found during a search of the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements database. The database was recently opened up for free to states under a March executive order from President Donald Trump.
Around 11.3 million people voted in the November elections.
What they're saying:
"Gaining access to this database has been a game-changer. Not only have we been able to identify individuals who should not have voted in the last election, we have also been able to confirm naturalization of dozens more," Nelson said.
Nelson did not say which counties the voters are from or how long they have been on the voter rolls.
The announcement comes after Texas legislators failed to advance a bill that would have required documented proof of citizenship from voters.
Texans will still ask voters to approve a constitutional amendment affirming that only U.S. citizens are permitted to vote. That provision is already part of state law.
SAVE Database
SAVE is a database used by government agencies to verify immigration status of applicants seeking benefits or licenses.
The database is maintained by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The Source: Information about the SAVE database comes from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Information on the 33 voters comes from Sec. of State Jane Nelson.