A federal judge struck down the Trump administration’s plan to build a searchable national database of Americans’ citizenship status, ruling Monday that three federal agencies knowingly violated privacy laws to create a system Congress explicitly banned decades ago.
U.S. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan, a Biden appointee, sided with the League of Women Voters in blocking the database, which would have compiled Social Security numbers, citizenship records, and other sensitive personal information into a single searchable system run by the Department of Homeland Security.
In a 75-page opinion, Sooknanan found the government modified an existing immigration verification tool called SAVE to create what amounts to a centralized data bank—precisely what the Social Security Act and Privacy Act of 1974 were designed to prevent.
Government Knew the Database Was Illegal
The ruling’s sharpest finding: DHS, the Social Security Administration, and the Department of Justice understood they were breaking the law but proceeded anyway. Sooknanan wrote that the agencies “knowingly trampled on the privacy rights of American citizens” by amassing the data without consent.
The Privacy Act prohibits federal agencies from disclosing sensitive personal information without individual permission. The Social Security Act includes similar protections specifically for Social Security numbers and related data. Both laws emerged from 1970s-era concerns about government surveillance and centralized control of citizen information.
Voting Rights at Stake
Sooknanan identified the database as a direct threat to voting rights. The system would have given state and federal officials unprecedented ability to question Americans’ citizenship status—a power that civil liberties groups warned could be weaponized to challenge voter registrations or intimidate naturalized citizens.
The League of Women Voters argued the database would create a chilling effect on voter participation, particularly among naturalized citizens who might fear their status could be questioned or their information misused.
The administration has not yet announced whether it will appeal. The ruling blocks implementation of the database nationwide while the underlying lawsuit continues.
Key Points
- Judge blocked national database that would have compiled Americans’ Social Security numbers and citizenship status into single searchable system
- Court found DHS, Social Security Administration, and Justice Department knowingly violated Privacy Act and Social Security Act
- Ruling cites threat to voting rights as naturalized citizens could face intimidation or registration challenges
https://www.courthousenews.com/federal-judge-blocks-trumps-national-citizenship-database/ – June 22, 2026
