Secretary of State Cord Byrd announces a landmark agreement with DHS that strengthens long-term protections for election security across multiple states
Tallahassee, Florida – Florida officials announced a major step forward in the state’s long-running effort to tighten voter roll accuracy and strengthen election safeguards, revealing a new 20-year agreement with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that will reshape how states access crucial citizenship information. Secretary of State Cord Byrd called the deal a “landmark” achievement and emphasized that it was the result of months of legal action and coordination among multiple states seeking consistent and reliable data for election oversight.
The new agreement stems from a lawsuit Florida filed in October 2024, when state leaders argued that the federal government had failed to provide timely, complete information from the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database. State officials said they needed faster and more detailed access to confirm immigration status and citizenship for certain voter registration checks. After more than a year of negotiations and legal proceedings, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, and Iowa jointly reached a settlement with DHS, resulting in tougher oversight requirements for future administrations.
Secretary Byrd said the deal reflects both persistence and collaboration among the states involved.
“Florida successfully led this multistate effort to help secure accurate voter rolls,” said Secretary of State Cord Byrd. “Election integrity starts with clean voter rolls, and this important agreement will improve and modernize the SAVE database for decades to come.”
The SAVE database, run by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, is traditionally used to confirm the eligibility of individuals applying for licenses, benefits, or other services. It is not solely an elections tool, but it can help states verify noncitizen status when required under state law. With DHS now agreeing to make the system more accessible and efficient, state officials say the changes will play a valuable role in supporting voter roll maintenance.
Under the settlement, DHS must offer access to the SAVE program at no cost for participating states. It must also improve search functions, including adding the ability to search using full or partial Social Security numbers — an option election officials have long argued is essential for accuracy. The agency is now required to respond to state requests within 48 hours and support bulk data submissions, allowing states to efficiently review large numbers of records at once. The entire agreement is judicially enforceable for 20 years, making it binding even if federal leadership changes.
The court formally approved the agreement this week, marking the official start of the new requirements. For states involved in the lawsuit, the approval represents the conclusion of a complicated, multi-year process that combined legal action, technical review, and federal-state negotiations. For Florida, the state leading the lawsuit, the settlement reinforces a broader emphasis on election security measures that have been adopted over the last several years.
Florida’s Division of Elections, which assists the Secretary of State in overseeing the election system, will likely be one of the primary users of the newly strengthened data tools. The Division’s responsibilities span three bureaus — Election Records, Voter Registration Services, and Voting Systems Certification — each playing a part in ensuring Florida’s election laws are applied consistently across all 67 counties. State officials say access to more complete SAVE data will help streamline some of their duties, particularly in voter roll maintenance and citizenship verification processes already required under state law.
The Division also works closely with local Supervisors of Elections, who handle day-to-day voter registration and polling operations. According to state officials, the updated federal requirements could help these local offices carry out their responsibilities with greater confidence in the accuracy of the information they receive.
Florida’s efforts to strengthen election security also include the Office of Election Crimes and Security (OECS), which was created in 2022 when Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 524 into law. The OECS conducts preliminary investigations into cases involving suspected voter fraud, registration irregularities, improper ballot activities, and other potential violations of state election statutes. The office works in coordination with local law enforcement, state agencies, and election officials.
State leaders say the new DHS agreement complements the OECS mission by giving investigators and election officials faster access to federal data when reviewing citizenship-related concerns. The state maintains a voter fraud hotline for reporting information about potential violations.
Florida officials view the agreement as a long-term safeguard — one that secures free access to federal data, guarantees improved system features, and ensures the federal government is held accountable for two decades of compliance. For the states involved, the settlement represents both a legal victory and a procedural upgrade, setting the stage for more modern and consistent election verification practices in the years ahead.
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