[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 209 (Friday, October 31, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48948-48955]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-19735]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
[Docket No. USCIS-2025-0337]
Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records
AGENCY: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services.
ACTION: Notice of a modified system of records.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) proposes to modify and reissue a DHS system of
records notice (SORN) titled, ``Department of Homeland Security/U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)-004 Systematic Alien
Verification for Entitlements Program (SAVE).'' As described in this
modified SORN, USCIS, an agency within DHS, collects and maintains
records on applicants for public benefits, licenses, grants,
governmental credentials, and other statutorily authorized purposes
through the SAVE program. SAVE allows registered user agencies to
verify the immigration status/category (``immigration status'') and
U.S. citizenship (including for U.S. citizens by birth, naturalized and
certain acquired citizens) of individuals applying for or receiving a
public benefit, license or other authorized purpose (``benefit'').
``Acquired citizenship'' refers to U.S. citizenship conveyed to
children through the naturalization of parents or, under certain
circumstances, at birth to foreign-born children of U.S. citizens,
provided certain conditions are met. DHS/USCIS is updating this SORN to
include updates and modifications to the (1) purpose(s) of the system,
(2) categories of individuals covered by the system, (3) categories of
records in the system, (4) records source categories, and (5) routine
uses of records maintained in the system. Additionally, this notice
includes non-substantive changes to simplify the formatting and text of
the previously published notice.
[[Page 48949]]
This modified system will be included in DHS's inventory of record
systems.
DATES: Submit comments on or before December 1, 2025. This modified
system will be effective upon publication. New or modified routine uses
will be effective December 1, 2025.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number USCIS-
2025-0337 by one of the following methods:
Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
Fax: 202-343-4010.
Mail: Roman Jankowski, Chief Privacy Officer, Privacy
Office, Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528-0655.
Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name
and docket number USCIS-2025-0337. All comments received will be posted
without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal
information provided.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general questions, please contact:
Angela Y. Washington, 240-721-3705, Privacy Officer, U.S. Citizenship
and Immigration Services, USCIS Headquarters, 5900 Capital Gateway Dr.,
Camp Springs, MD 20746. For privacy questions, please contact: Roman
Jankowski, (202) 343-1717, Chief Privacy Officer, Privacy Office,
Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528-0655.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services (USCIS) is proposing to modify and reissue a current DHS SORN
titled, ``DHS/USCIS-004 Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements
Program System of Records.''
This modified SORN is being published to update the purpose of SAVE
to include the addition of expanded search functionality for registered
SAVE user agencies to verify the U.S. citizenship of U.S. citizens by
birth and to clarify use of SAVE for voter verification.
This SORN modification also clarifies and informs the public that
SAVE has removed transaction charges for all state, local, tribal, and
territorial government agencies that use the system. Federal agencies
are still charged a fee to use SAVE.
DHS/USCIS is adding individuals that are U.S. citizens by birth to
the categories of individuals covered by the system.
DHS/USCIS is updating the categories of records in the system to
include collecting both full and truncated (last four digits) Social
Security number (other than those collected on Form G-845, Verification
Request), U.S. passport number, driver's license number, and
information from the Social Security Administration.
DHS/USCIS is revising the record source categories to add SSA-60-
0058 Master Files of Social Security Number Holders, Social Security
Number Applications, February 20, 2025 (90 FR 10025) and state or other
national agencies that issue or maintain driver's license information.
DHS/USCIS is amending the routine uses section of the SORN to
include adding Routine Use L, to support sharing with Social Security
Administration and other federal organizations, and Routine Use M, to
support sharing with federal agencies (e.g., the Department of Health
and Human Services) to support auditing of federal programs
administered by state, local, and tribal governments (e.g., Medicaid).
Additionally, this notice includes non-substantive changes,
including reorganizing of categories of records, change in the use of
terms such as from ``derived'' citizen/citizenship to ``acquired''
citizen/citizenship, and spelling out of form names from the previously
published system of records notice.
Consistent with DHS's information sharing mission, information
stored in DHS/USCIS SAVE may be shared with other DHS Components that
have a need to know of the information to carry out their national
security, law enforcement, immigration, intelligence, or other homeland
security functions. In addition, DHS/USCIS may share information with
appropriate federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, foreign, or
international government agencies consistent with the routine uses set
forth in this system of records notice. Information in SAVE, including
records submitted by the user agency, is not to be used for
administrative (non-criminal) immigration enforcement purposes. See
Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA), Public Law 99-603, Part C,
Section 121(c)(1) (Nov. 6, 1986).
This modified system will be included in DHS's inventory of record
systems. USCIS administers SAVE. SAVE is an online intergovernmental
service designed to help federal, state, territorial, tribal, local
government agencies, benefit-granting agencies, other authorized
entities (e.g., Airport Operators under the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) Extension, Safety and Security Act of 2016), and
licensing bureaus, as authorized by law (collectively, ``SAVE user
agencies''), determine the U.S. citizenship and immigration status of
individuals within their jurisdiction for the purpose of granting
benefits, licenses, and other lawful purposes. Uses of SAVE may include
verification of immigration status or category and U.S citizenship,
including U.S. citizens by birth as well as naturalized and certain
acquired citizens, when issuing benefits such as Social Security
numbers, public health care, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
payments, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Medicaid, Children's
Health Insurance Program; conducting background investigations, armed
forces recruitment, REAL ID compliance; or any other purpose authorized
by law, including verification of registrants and registered voters in
voter registration and voter list maintenance processes. Prior to
accessing SAVE, an agency must register as a user and enter into a
Memorandum of Agreement with DHS/USCIS. The prospective user provides
the legal authorities requiring or permitting verification of
immigration status or U.S. citizenship as part of issuing a benefit.
SAVE does not determine a benefit applicant's eligibility for a
specific benefit. Only the user agency makes that determination.
A typical SAVE verification involves a registered federal, state,
territorial, tribal, or local government benefit or license-granting
agency verifying the immigration status or U.S. citizenship of a
benefit applicant. SAVE is not a database for immigration status and
citizenship information. Rather, SAVE accesses the USCIS Verification
Data Integration Service which searches multiple government databases
or systems to provide a SAVE response. The initial SAVE response is
derived from information contained in government systems accessed by
SAVE using information from U.S. government-issued documents, such as a
Social Security card, Permanent Resident Card (often referred to as a
Green Card) or an Employment Authorization Document. For a SAVE user
agency to create a SAVE case, the agency must collect and enter certain
identifiers from the benefit applicant's identity document(s). The
verification process is driven by identifiers generally
[[Page 48950]]
located on immigration documents (e.g., Alien Registration Number
(Alien Number or A-Number)/USCIS Number, Card Number/I-797 Receipt
Number, or Citizenship/Naturalization Certificate Number) or other
government-issued documents (e.g., a Social Security number). The
identifier presented by the individual determines the verification
process.
SAVE user agencies input data elements pertaining to the applicant
through SAVE. SAVE then connects to the internal USCIS Verification
Data Integration Service to process the request using the user agency
provided data. These data elements may include last name, first name,
middle name, date of birth, Social Security number, passport number,
driver's license number, one or more DHS immigration enumerators (e.g.,
Alien Registration Number/USCIS Number, Arrival-Departure Record I-94
Number, Student and Exchange Visitor Information System Identification
Number, Certificate of Naturalization Number, Certificate of
Citizenship Number, or Unexpired Foreign Passport Number), and other
information from immigration documentation (e.g., country of birth,
date of entry, or employment authorization category). If the USCIS
Verification Data Integration Service locates a corresponding record,
it will convey a response to SAVE, and SAVE will send a SAVE case
response that includes the data elements used to create the case. It
may add one or more additional data elements such as a verification
case number, U.S. citizenship or immigration data (e.g., U.S.
citizenship, immigration status or category, immigration class of
admission and/or employment authorization.), grant date, and
sponsorship data. SAVE's responses are based upon the user agency's
authority to use SAVE and the type of benefit administered by the user
agency.
If SAVE is unable to provide an initial automated response
verifying the benefit applicant's immigration status or U.S.
citizenship, SAVE will provide instructions on actions the user agency
may take, including requesting additional verification. Users may also
request additional verification when they have questions about a SAVE
response or when requested by the benefit applicant. SAVE additional
verification procedures generally entail in-depth electronic and manual
research in available records (including both electronic records as
well as paper Alien Files (A-Files), when necessary) by USCIS status
verification staff to verify the benefit applicant's immigration status
or U.S. citizenship.
On January 20, 2025, and March 25, 2025, respectively, the
President issued Executive Orders 14159, Protecting the American People
Against Invasion and 14248, Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of
American Elections. Executive Order 14159 requires the Secretary to
``promptly issue guidance to ensure maximum compliance by [DHS]
personnel with the provisions of 8 U.S.C. 1373 and 8 U.S.C. 1644 and
ensure that state and local governments are provided with the
information necessary to fulfill law enforcement, U.S citizenship, or
immigration status verification requirements authorized by law.''
Executive Order 14248 provides:
. . . Federal laws, such as the National Voter Registration Act (Pub.
L. 103-31) and the Help America Vote Act (Pub. L. 107-252), require
States to maintain an accurate and current Statewide list of every
legally registered voter in the State. And the Department of Homeland
Security is required to share database information with States upon
request so they can fulfill this duty. See 8 U.S.C. 1373(c).
Executive Order 14159 directs the Secretary to ``ensure that state and
local officials have, without the requirement of the payment of a fee,
access to appropriate systems for verifying the citizenship or
immigration status of individuals registering to vote or who are
already registered.''
Pursuant to these Executive Orders, DHS personnel must timely
provide verification of U.S. citizenship and immigration status
information in response to inquiries from federal, state, and local
government agencies to verify or ascertain the U.S. citizenship or
immigration status of individuals within the jurisdiction of the State
or local government agency for any purpose authorized by law. DHS
personnel will comply with these requirements, to the maximum extent
possible and permissible under law, considering federal statutory
requirements, including the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a and 8
U.S.C. 1367 (special protected class information); as well as other
applicable laws, rules, regulations, policies, and requirements
regarding verification, information sharing, and confidentiality.
To respond to these requirements, USCIS has incorporated a feature
to allow SAVE user agencies to create a SAVE case using a full or
partial Social Security number and other government-issued enumerators
(e.g., passport number; driver's license number). This allows SAVE user
agencies to utilize enumerators that are often more readily available
and to verify U.S. citizenship for individuals who do not have an
immigration enumerator.
1. Enumerators and Source Systems
a. Social Security Number (Social Security Administration Enumeration
System)
When creating a case in SAVE, the user agency must always enter the
individual's first and last name, date of birth, and at least one
enumerator, which may now include a full 9-digit or partial Social
Security number. The ability to create a SAVE case using a full or
partial Social Security number is initially limited to users who log
into SAVE via a web browser but will eventually be expanded to user
agencies who use a system-to-system connection with SAVE via web
services.
Where a user uses a full or partial Social Security number to
create a SAVE case, USCIS now provides this information to the Social
Security Administration Enumeration System for search and response. The
Social Security Administration provides the following responses to
USCIS:
Social Security number match (True/False);
Name match (True/False);
Date of birth match (True/False);
Citizenship indicator;
[cir] ``A''--U.S. Citizen;
[cir] ``B''--Legal alien, eligible to work;
[cir] ``C''--Legal alien, not eligible to work;
[cir] ``D''--Other;
[cir] ``E''--Alien Student--restricted work authorized; and
[cir] ``F''--Conditionally legalized alien.
Foreign born indicator (Citizenship code is not present,
but individual was foreign born);
State/Country code;
American Samoa indicator (True/False);
Alien Registration Number (Alien Number or A-Number)
(where applicable);
Death indicator (Yes/No); and
Error code descriptions (transaction and record levels).
This search functionality allows SAVE the capability to verify the
Social Security number and U.S. citizen indicators of many U.S.
citizens by birth, as found in the Enumeration System. This is an
expansion from the previous SAVE functionality, which limited U.S.
citizenship verification to DHS records of naturalized and certain
acquired U.S. citizens.
b. U.S. Passport Number (Department of State)
SAVE has added the ability for user agencies to verify acquired
citizenship
[[Page 48951]]
for individuals using a search by name, date of birth, and passport
number. USCIS will compare this information against information
available in DHS-accessed systems to provide a match or no match
response. Prior to having access to passport records, SAVE could only
verify acquired U.S. citizens if the individual applied for and
received a Certificate of Citizenship from USCIS or if the U.S.
Department of State provided USCIS with a record of the passport
citizenship adjudication and, if applicable, USCIS will update the
individual's record.
c. Driver's License Number (State Records)
Driver's licenses are the most widely used form of identification.
By working with state driver's licensing agencies and national agencies
that store driver's license information for legal purposes (such as the
National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NLETS)), SAVE will
use driver's license and state identification card numbers to check and
confirm identity information. When the agency provides a driver's
license or state identification card number as the enumerator to verify
the identity of the applicant, SAVE will use state driver's licensing
agencies or another source (such as NLETS) to validate the information
and gain access to other government enumerators. This will allow SAVE
to match against other sources to verify immigration status and U.S.
citizenship, which will improve accuracy and efficiency for SAVE user
agencies. It must be noted that the Driver's license number search
functionality is not live at the time of publication but will be in the
foreseeable future.
2. List Processor Feature
User agencies now have the capability to create cases in SAVE by
uploading a file with a list of multiple cases. This provides greater
efficiency, because the user agency no longer has to enter cases into
SAVE one at a time. Initially, only users who log into SAVE using a web
browser will have access to this feature, but USCIS may extend this
feature to other users in the future.
After file upload and acceptance of the data, SAVE, through an
automated process, creates front-end single-record cases for each
entry; this is not batch processing but SAVE creating each case
individually for the user agency. Initially, the creation of cases
using this feature is limited to cases created using an Alien
Registration Number, Citizenship or Naturalization Certificate number,
or Social Security number. Agencies are not prompted to institute
additional verification when using this process but are instructed to
resubmit with additional information when the process is unable to
return a response. Expansion of this feature in the future may include
the ability to create cases with additional enumerators and the ability
to request configured information not automatically selected for the
benefit type.
User agencies can access each case created using the list processor
feature in SAVE as normal, by viewing the individual case status and
response. SAVE also has a feature available to all user agencies to
generate a report that will list all the cases created, the status of
an individual case, and the SAVE response. Access to generate the
report, including what cases are included, vary depending upon the
user's permissions. USCIS provides this verification service for all
benefit requests.
3. Auditing Verification Records To Support Oversight Organizations
SAVE will support organizations that have entered into required
agreements with USCIS and have legal oversight authority over a program
or benefit type supported by SAVE through reporting capabilities for
auditing purposes. User agencies with a legal authority to monitor and
audit benefits granted or voter registration records may view relevant
case data such as biographic data, enumerators, case submission date/
time, and SAVE response information. Reporting options exist for
individual user agencies and their case data.
Additionally, user agencies with appropriate legal authority may
now view, within SAVE, other user agencies' case data through a linking
mechanism based on either benefit type granted (e.g., Medicare) or by
state. This new account type will have reporting options to view case
data.
Other account types enable user agencies to create cases within
SAVE to verify applicants' current eligibility for benefits previously
granted. This will allow organizations, such as federal and state
oversight agencies, to ensure user agencies that they legally monitor,
and audit are properly verifying immigration status or citizenship
status before making an eligibility determination and to ensure
previously approved applicants remain eligible for the benefits they
are receiving.
4. Voter Registration and Voter List Maintenance
Through this SORN, DHS/USCIS is administratively clarifying the
purpose of this system of records by reinserting voter registration
that was previously published in 76 FR 58525 (September 21, 2011) and
updating to the term ``voter verification'' to include verification of
U.S. citizens by birth through Social Security number matching. Also,
DHS/USCIS is expanding the purpose to include the additional search
functionality to verify the citizenship of U.S. citizens by birth for
all registered benefits and licenses by registered SAVE user agencies.
II. Privacy Act
The Privacy Act embodies fair information practice principles in a
statutory framework governing the means by which Federal Government
agencies collect, maintain, use, and disseminate individuals' records.
The Privacy Act applies to information that is maintained in a ``system
of records.'' A ``system of records'' is a group of any records under
the control of an agency from which information is retrieved by the
name of an individual or by some identifying number, symbol, or other
identifying particular assigned to the individual. In the Privacy Act,
an individual is defined to encompass U.S. citizens and lawful
permanent residents. Additionally, and similarly, the Judicial Redress
Act provides covered persons with a statutory right to make requests
for access and amendment to covered records, as defined by the Judicial
Redress Act, along with judicial review for denials of such requests.
In addition, the Judicial Redress Act prohibits disclosures of covered
records, except as otherwise permitted by the Privacy Act.
Below is the description of the DHS/USCIS-004 SAVE Program System
of Records. In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552a(r), DHS has provided a
report of this system of records to the Office of Management and Budget
and to Congress.
SYSTEM NAME AND NUMBER:
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services (USCIS)-004 Systematic Alien Verification for
Entitlements Program System of Records.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION:
Unclassified
SYSTEM LOCATION:
Records are maintained at the USCIS Headquarters in Camp Springs,
MD and at DHS/USCIS field offices. Electronic records for Verification
Data Integration Service are stored in a secure, cloud hosted
environment.
SYSTEM MANAGER(S):
Chief, Verification Division, [email protected], U.S.
[[Page 48952]]
Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security,
5900 Capital Gateway Drive, Mail Stop 2620, Camp Springs, MD 20588-
0009.
AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
Authority for having a system for verification of citizenship and
immigration status is found in Immigration and Nationality Act, Public
Law 82-414, 66 Stat. 163 (June 27, 1952), as amended, Immigration
Reform and Control Act, Public Law 99-603, 100 Stat. 3359 (Nov. 6,
1986); Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act,
Public Law 104-193, 110 Stat. 2105 (Aug. 22, 1996); Illegal Immigration
Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, Public Law 104-208, 110 Stat.
3009 (Sept. 30, 1996); (8 U.S.C. 1373(c)); the REAL ID Act of 2005,
Public Law 109-13, 119 Stat. 231 (May 11, 2005); Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act, Public Law 111-148, 124 Stat. 119 (Mar. 23, 2010),
as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010,
Public Law 111-152, 124 Stat. 1029 (Mar. 30, 2010); and the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) Extension, Safety, and Security Act of
2016, Public Law 114-190, 130 Stat. 615 (July 15, 2016), 8 CFR part
213a (Affidavits of Support on Behalf of Immigrants).
PURPOSE(S) OF THE SYSTEM:
The purpose of this system is to provide a service (fee-based for
federal agencies) that assists federal, state, territorial, tribal, and
local benefit-granting agencies, licensing bureaus, and other
authorized entities for any legally mandated purpose in accordance with
an authorizing statute to verify the U.S. citizenship and immigration
status of individual, to include naturalized, derived, and U.S.
citizens by birth, within their jurisdiction applying for benefits, and
to otherwise efficiently administer their programs, to the extent that
such disclosure is necessary to enable these agencies and entities to
make decisions related to (1) determining eligibility for a federal,
state, territorial, tribal, or local public benefit; (2) issuing a
license or grant; (3) issuing a government credential; (4) conducting a
background investigation; (5) voter verification or (6) any other
lawful purpose. This system is also used for USCIS bond management
purposes under section 213 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:
Categories of individuals covered by this system include: (1)
individuals who have filed, for themselves or on the behalf of others,
applications or other requests for federal, state, territorial, tribal
or local licenses or benefits; (2) individuals who are U.S. citizens,
including those who are U.S. citizens by birth, and naturalized or
acquired U.S. citizens; (3) individuals who have applied for or
received other immigration benefits pursuant to 8 U.S.C. 1103 et seq.
or other applicable law; (4) sponsors and household members listed on
the Form I-864 or I-864EZ, Affidavit of Support Under C Member; Section
213A of the Act or Form I-864A, Contract Between Sponsor and Household
Member; (5) individuals subject to certain background investigations;
(6) individuals accessing SAVE Case Check; (7) users and administrators
who access the system to facilitate U.S citizenship and immigration
status verification; and (8) other individuals whose information is
verified with SAVE pursuant to an agreement between a user agency and
SAVE (e.g., SAVE Memorandum of Agreement). All references to
``sponsor'' or ``sponsors'' include sponsors, joint sponsors, and
substitute sponsors, as defined in the regulations at 8 CFR part 213a.
CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
Information collected from the benefit applicant by the user agency
to facilitate U.S citizenship and immigration status verification may
include the following:
Individual's full name (maiden name if applicable);
Date of birth;
Country of birth;
Citizenship or nationality;
Alien Registration Number (A-Number)/USCIS number;
Other immigration number/enumerator (e.g., Employment
Authorization Document card number, naturalization certificate number,
citizenship certificate number);
Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record number;
Visa number;
Receipt number/card number;
Student and Exchange Visitor Information System
Identification number;
Foreign Passport number and country of issuance;
Social Security number (full and truncated) or other
alternate number issued by the SSA (e.g., Individual Tax Identification
Number (ITIN);
U.S Passport number;
Driver's license number;
Agency Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number;
Benefit type sought (e.g., background check, driver's
license/state identification, education grant/loan/work study,
Employment Authorization, housing assistance, Medicaid/Medical
Assistance, Social Security number issuance, and voter verification);
and
Copies of original immigration documents.
Information collected from the user agency who accesses the system
to facilitate U.S citizenship and immigration status verification may
include the following:
Agency name;
Address;
Names of agency points(s) of contact;
Title of agency point(s) of contact;
Contact telephone number;
Fax number;
Email address;
User identification; and
Type of license/benefit(s) the agency issues (e.g.,
Unemployment Insurance, Educational Assistance, Driver Licensing, and
Social Security Enumeration)
Information collected from the Social Security Administration used
by SAVE to verify U.S. citizenship or immigration status of an
applicant on behalf of a SAVE user agency:
Social Security number match (True/False);
Name match (True/False);
Date of birth match (True/False);
Death indicator (Yes Deceased/Not Deceased);
Citizenship indicator;
[cir] ``A''--U.S. citizen;
[cir] ``B''--Legal alien, eligible to work;
[cir] ``C''--Legal alien, not eligible to work;
[cir] ``D''--Other;
[cir] ``E''--Alien student-restricted work authorized; and
[cir] ``F''--Conditionally legalized alien.
Foreign Born Indicator (Citizenship code is not present,
but individual was foreign born);
Alien Registration Number (Alien Number or A-Number)
(where applicable); and
Error code descriptions (transaction and record levels).
System-generated responses because of the SAVE verification process
may include:
Verification case number; and
SAVE response.
Information collected from the benefit-granting agency about
actions that an agency adjudicating Federal means-tested public
benefits takes to deem sponsor income as part of applicant income for
purposes of Federal means-tested benefits eligibility and to seek
reimbursement from sponsors for the value of benefits provided to
sponsored applicants may include:
[[Page 48953]]
Whether the benefit-granting agency approved or denied the
application for the means-tested public benefit;
If the benefit-granting agency denied the application,
whether the denial was based upon the information that SAVE provided in
its response to the citizenship and immigration status verification
request from the benefit-granting agency;
Whether the benefit-granting agency deemed sponsor/
household member income and, if not, the exception or reason for not
doing so;
Whether the benefit-granting agency sent the sponsor a
reimbursement request letter (yes/no);
Whether the sponsor complied with his or her reimbursement
obligation; and
Whether the benefit-granting agency conducted a collection
action or other proceedings if the sponsor did not comply with his or
her reimbursement obligation (yes/no and if yes, the status, court or
forum, and docket or matter number).
Individual information that may be used by SAVE to verify U.S
citizenship and immigration status and provide a SAVE response
includes:
Full name;
Date of birth;
Country of birth;
Alien Registration Number (Alien Number or A-Number);
Social Security number;
Photograph;
U.S. passport;
Driver's license number or State identification number;
Receipt number/card number (e.g., Form I-551, Lawful
Permanent Resident Card, Form I-766, Employment Authorization
Document);
Other unique identifying numbers (e.g., Student and
Exchange Visitor Information System Identification number, Form I-94
number, etc.);
Visa number;
Government-issued identification (e.g., foreign passport);
[cir] Document type;
[cir] Country of issuance (COI);
[cir] Document number; and
[cir] Expiration date.
Entry/Departure date;
Port of entry;
Alien status change date;
Naturalization date;
Date admitted until;
Country of citizenship;
Document grant date;
Document receipt number;
Codes (e.g., class of admission, file control office,
provision of law cited for employment authorization);
Employment Authorization Document (EAD) history;
Beneficiary information (e.g., full name, Alien
Registration Number, date of birth, country of birth, Social Security
number);
Petitioner information (e.g., full name, Alien
Registration Number, Social Security number, Individual Taxpayer
Identification Number, Naturalization Certificate number); and
Sponsor(s) and household member(s) information (e.g., Full
Name, Address, Social Security number).
SAVE may also access immigration case history for other
individuals, including:
Spouse information (e.g., full name, Alien Registration
Number, date of birth, country of birth, country of citizenship, class
of admission, date of admission, receipt number, phone number, marriage
date and location, naturalization date and location);
Children information (e.g., full name, Alien Registration
Number, date of birth, country of birth, class of admission);
Employer information (e.g., full name, address,
supervisor's name, supervisor's phone number); and
Individuals associated with background checks information
(e.g., full name, Alien Registration Number, date of birth, country of
birth).
Case history information may include:
Alert(s);
Case summary comments;
Case category;
Date of encounter;
Encounter information;
Custody actions and decisions;
Case actions and decisions;
Bonds;
Photograph;
Asylum applicant receipt date;
Airline and flight number;
Country of residence;
City (e.g., where boarded, where visa was issued);
Date visa issued;
Address in United States;
Nationality;
Decision memoranda; investigatory reports and materials
compiled for the purpose of enforcing immigration laws;
Exhibits;
Transcripts; and
Other case-related papers concerning aliens, alleged
aliens, or lawful permanent residents brought into the administrative
adjudication process.
RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
Records are obtained from several sources including: (A) agencies
and entities seeking to determine U.S citizenship or immigration status
of benefit applicants; (B) individuals seeking public licenses,
benefits, or credentials; (C) other DHS components assisting with
enrollment and system maintenance processes; (D) information created by
SAVE; (E) state or national organizations issuing and maintaining
driver's license or state identification information such as the NLETS;
and (F) information collected and covered by the following USCIS, DHS,
and other federal agency systems of records:
DHS/USCIS/ICE/CBP-001 Alien File, Index, and National File
Tracking System of Records, September 18, 2017 (FR 82 FR 43556);
DHS/USCIS-007 Benefits Information System, October 10,
2019 (84 FR 54622);
DHS/USCIS-010 Asylum Information and Pre-Screening System
of Records, November 30, 2015 (80 FR 74781);
DHS/USCIS-018 Immigration Biometric and Background Check
(IBBC) Records System of Records, July 31, 2018 (83 FR 36950);
DHS/CBP-005 Advance Passenger Information System (APIS),
March 13, 2015 (80 FR 13407);
DHS/CBP-006 Automated Targeting System, May 22, 2012 (77
FR 30297);
DHS/CBP-007 CBP Border Crossing Information (BCI),
December 13, 2016 (81 FR 89957);
DHS/CBP-011 U.S. Customs and Border Protection TECS,
December 19, 2008 (73 FR 77778);
DHS/CBP-016 Nonimmigrant Information System, March 13,
2015 (80 FR 13398);
DHS/CBP-021 Arrival and Departure Information System
(ADIS), November 18, 2015 (80 FR 72081);
DHS/ICE-001 DHS/ICE-001 Student and Visitor Exchange
Program (SEVP), December 8, 2021 (86 FR 69663);
DHS/ICE-011 Criminal Arrest Records and Immigration
Enforcement Records (CARIER) System of Records, July 5, 2024 (89 FR
55638);
DHS/ALL-003 Department of Homeland Security General
Training Records, November 25, 2008 (73 FR71656);
DHS/ALL-016 Correspondence Records, September 26, 2018 (83
FR 48645);
JUSTICE/EOIR-002, Office of the Chief Administrative
Hearing Officer (OCAHO) Case Management System (CMS) August 16, 2019
(84 FR 42016);
STATE-05 Overseas Citizens Services Records and Other
Overseas Records, November 20, 2023 (88 FR 80804);
STATE-26 Passport Records, March 24, 2015 (80 FR 15653);
STATE-39 Visa Records, November 8, 2021 (86 FR 61822) and
[[Page 48954]]
SSA-60-0058 Master Files of Social Security Number Holders
and Social Security Number Applications, February 20, 2025 (90 FR
10025)
ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES
OF USERS AND PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:
In addition to those disclosures generally permitted under 5 U.S.C.
552a(b) of the Privacy Act, all or a portion of the records or
information contained in this system may be disclosed outside DHS as a
routine use pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(3) as follows:
A. To the Department of Justice (DOJ), including the U.S. Attorneys
Offices, or other federal agency conducting litigation or proceedings
before any court, adjudicative, or administrative body, when it is
relevant or necessary to the litigation and one of the following is a
party to the litigation or has an interest in such litigation:
1. DHS or any component thereof;
2. Any employee or former employee of DHS in his/her official
capacity;
3. Any employee or former employee of DHS in his/her individual
capacity, only when DOJ or DHS has agreed to represent the employee; or
4. The United States or any agency thereof.
B. To a congressional office from the record of an individual in
response to an inquiry from that congressional office made at the
request of the individual to whom the record pertains.
C. To the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) or
General Services Administration pursuant to records management
inspections being conducted under the authority of 44 U.S.C. 2904 and
2906.
D. To an agency or organization for the purpose of performing audit
or oversight operations as authorized by law, but only such information
as is necessary and relevant to such audit or oversight function.
E. To appropriate agencies, entities, and persons when (1) DHS
suspects or has confirmed that there has been a breach of the system of
records; (2) DHS has determined that as a result of the suspected or
confirmed breach there is a risk of harm to individuals, DHS (including
its information systems, programs, and operations), the Federal
Government, or national security; and (3) the disclosure made to such
agencies, entities, and persons is reasonably necessary to assist in
connection with DHS's efforts to respond to the suspected or confirmed
breach or to prevent, minimize, or remedy such harm.
F. To another Federal agency or Federal entity, when DHS determines
that information from this system of records is reasonably necessary to
assist the recipient agency or entity in (1) responding to a suspected
or confirmed breach or (2) preventing, minimizing, or remedying the
risk of harm to individuals, the recipient agency or entity (including
its information systems, programs, and operations), the Federal
Government, or national security, resulting from a suspected or
confirmed breach.
G. To an appropriate federal, state, territorial, tribal, local,
international, or foreign law enforcement agency or other appropriate
authority charged with investigating or prosecuting a violation or
enforcing or implementing a law, rule, regulation, or order, when a
record, either on its face or in conjunction with other information,
indicates a violation or potential violation of law, which includes
criminal, civil, or regulatory violations and such disclosure is proper
and consistent with the official duties of the person making the
disclosure.
H. To contractors and their agents, grantees, experts, consultants,
and others performing or working on a contract, service, grant,
cooperative agreement, or other assignment for DHS, when necessary to
accomplish an agency function related to this system of records.
Individuals provided information under this routine use are subject to
the same Privacy Act requirements and limitations on disclosure as are
applicable to DHS officers and employees.
I. To approved federal, state, territorial, tribal, and local
government agencies for any legally mandated purpose (e.g., benefits,
licensing, voter verification) in accordance with their authorizing
statute or law and when an approved agreement (e.g., Memorandum of
Agreement (MOA) or Computer Matching Agreement (CMA) is in place
between DHS and the entity.
J. To a federal, state, territorial, tribal, or local government
agency that oversees or administers Federal means-tested public
benefits for purposes of seeking reimbursement from sponsors for the
value of benefits provided to sponsored applicants, as well as
reporting on overall sponsor deeming and agency reimbursement efforts
to appropriate administrative and oversight agencies.
K. To airport operators to determine the eligibility of individuals
seeking unescorted access to any Security Identification Display Area
of an airport, as required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016.
L. To the Social Security Administration and other federal, state,
tribal, territorial, local, governments and other authorized entities
to assist user agencies determine U.S. citizenship and immigration
status of an individual when a DHS approved agreement is in place
between DHS and the entity.
M. To federal, state, territorial, tribal, local, and other
entities that have legal authority to provide oversight to programs and
benefits supported by SAVE for auditing of program requirements and
when a DHS-approved agreement (e.g., Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) or
Computer Matching Agreement (CMA)) is in place between DHS and the
entity.
N. To the news media and the public, with the approval of the Chief
Privacy Officer in consultation with counsel, when there exists a
legitimate public interest in the disclosure of the information, when
disclosure is necessary to preserve confidence in the integrity of DHS,
or when disclosure is necessary to demonstrate the accountability of
DHS's officers, employees, or individuals covered by the system, except
to the extent the Chief Privacy Officer determines that release of the
specific information in the context of a particular case would
constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORAGE OF RECORDS:
DHS/USCIS stores records in this system electronically or on paper
in secure facilities in a locked drawer behind a locked door. The
records may be stored on magnetic discs, tapes, and digital media.
Additionally, information is located within the USCIS Verification Data
Integration Service SAVE Program.
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETRIEVAL OF RECORDS
DHS/USCIS retrieves records by name of applicant or other unique
identifier including, but not limited to Verification Case Number,
Alien Registration Number (Alien Number or A-Number), I-94 Number,
Social Security number, Passport number, Driver's license number, Visa
number, Student and Exchange Visitor Information System Identification
number, or by the submitting agency name.
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETENTION AND DISPOSAL OF RECORDS:
SAVE records are covered by NARA-approved records retention and
disposal schedule, N1-566-08-07. Records collected in the process of
enrolling in SAVE and in verifying U.S. citizenship or immigration
status are stored and retained in SAVE for ten (10) years from the date
of the completion of
[[Page 48955]]
verification. However, if the records are part of an ongoing
investigation, they will be retained until completion of the
investigation and pursuant to the records retention schedule associated
with the investigation. This initial 10-year period is based on the
statute of limitations for most types of misuse or fraud possible using
SAVE (under 18 U.S.C. 3291, the statute of limitations for false
statements or misuse regarding passports, citizenship, or
naturalization documents).
ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL, AND PHYSICAL SAFEGUARDS:
DHS/USCIS safeguards records in this system according to applicable
rules and policies, including all applicable DHS automated systems
security and access policies. USCIS has imposed strict controls to
minimize the risk of compromising the information that is being stored.
Access to the computer system containing the records in this system is
limited to those individuals who have a need to know the information
for the performance of their official duties and who have appropriate
clearances or permissions.
RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES:
Absent an authorized exception for disclosure exists, the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security protects and withholds the Privacy Act
of 1974/Judicial Redress Act of 2015 covered records by law for U.S.
citizens, lawful permanent residents, and Judicial Redress Act covered
persons from covered countries.
Individuals seeking access to and notification of any record
contained in this system of records, or seeking to contest its content,
may submit a request online at https://first.uscis.gov/ or submit a
request in writing to the Chief Privacy Officer and to the USCIS FOIA/
Privacy Act Officer whose contact information can be found at http://www.dhs.gov/foia under ``Contacts Information.'' If an individual
believes more than one component maintains Privacy Act records
concerning him or her, the individual may submit the request to the
Chief Privacy Officer and Chief Freedom of Information Act Officer,
Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528-0655. Even if
neither the Privacy Act nor the Judicial Redress Act provide a right of
access, certain records about him or her may be available under the
Freedom of Information Act.
When an individual is seeking records about himself or herself from
this system of records or any other Departmental system of records, the
individual's request must conform with the Privacy Act regulations set
forth in 6 CFR part 5. The individual must first verify his/her
identity, meaning that the individual must provide his/her full name,
current address, and date and place of birth. The individual must sign
the request, and the individual's signature must either be notarized or
submitted under 28 U.S.C. 1746, a law that permits statements to be
made under penalty of perjury as a substitute for notarization. While
no specific form is required, an individual may obtain forms for this
purpose from the Chief Privacy Officer and Chief Freedom of Information
Act Officer, http://www.dhs.gov/foia or 1-866-431-0486. In addition,
the individual should:
Explain why the individual believes the Department would
have information on him/her;
Identify which component(s) of the Department the
individual believes may have the information about him/her;
Specify when the individual believes the records would
have been created; and
Provide any other information that will help the FOIA
staff determine which DHS component agency may have responsive records.
If an individual's request is seeking records pertaining to another
living individual, the first individual must include a statement from
the second individual certifying his/her agreement for the first
individual to access his/her records.
Without the above information, the component(s) may not be able to
conduct an effective search, and the individual's request may be denied
due to lack of specificity or lack of compliance with applicable
regulations.
CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
For records covered by the Privacy Act or covered the Judicial
Redress Act records, see ``Record Access Procedures'' above. For
records not covered by the Privacy Act or Judicial Redress Act,
individuals may still amend their records at a USCIS Field Office by
contacting the USCIS Contact Center at 1-800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-
1833) to request an appointment.
NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES:
See ``Record Access Procedures.''
EXEMPTIONS PROMULGATED FOR THE SYSTEM:
None. However, when this system receives a record from another
system exempted in that source system under 5 U.S.C. 552a, DHS will
claim the same exemptions for those records that are claimed for the
original primary systems of records from which they originated.
HISTORY:
85 FR 31798 (May 27, 2020); 81 FR 78619 (November 8, 2016); 76 FR
58525 (September 21, 2011); 73 FR 75445 (December 11, 2008); 73 FR
10793 (February 28, 2008); 72 FR 17569 (April 9, 2007); 67 FR 64134
(October 17, 2002); and 66 FR 46812 (September 7, 2001).
* * * * *
Roman Jankowski,
Chief Privacy Officer, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2025-19735 Filed 10-30-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-97-P