HR1037-119

What This Bill Does

The Voter Eligibility Verification Act amends 8 U.S.C. 1373(c). It requires federal immigration authorities to provide requested verification or status information, including immigration status of an individual on a list of potential voters, when requested by a state attorney general or secretary of state within 15 days. The bill is aimed at giving state officials faster federal information for voter eligibility checks. Its burden falls on federal immigration data systems and raises practical concerns for eligible voters whose records may be checked or misidentified.

Who Benefits and How

State election officials benefit from a 15-day federal response requirement for immigration-status checks tied to potential-voter lists. State attorneys general benefit from clearer authority to request immigration status information for voter eligibility investigations. Citizen-only voting advocates benefit from a federal data pathway for checking potential noncitizen registration. Election integrity litigants benefit from a statutory deadline they can point to if federal responses are delayed.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Federal immigration agencies must respond to state voter-list status requests within 15 days. USCIS status verification staff must handle requests tied to potential voters. Naturalized citizens and lawful immigrants may face verification errors or delays if voter-list matching is inaccurate. State election administrators must protect privacy and due process when using federal immigration status data.

Key Provisions

• Requires immigration-status verification when requested by a state attorney general or secretary of state.
• Applies the request authority to individuals on lists of potential voters.
• Creates a 15-day response deadline for the requested status information.
• Amends the federal immigration-status information-sharing statute rather than creating a new voter database.