H.R. 8635: VERIFY Act of 2026

VERIFY Act of 2026

This bill modernizes the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program. The legislation mandates significant infrastructure upgrades to increase processing speed and data accuracy, while simultaneously imposing strict statutory limits on automated decision-making and law enforcement access.

Enhancements:

• Requires DHS to update immigration status changes within 24 hours and push alerts to querying agencies if there is a material change;
• Eliminates user fees for Federal, State, local, and tribal agencies; and
• Mandates the integration of SAVE with DHS arrival and departure systems, as well as updated data-sharing agreements with the Social Security Administration (SSA) and State vital records for birth and death data.

Limitations:

• Prohibits automatic adverse eligibility determinations, forcing all negative or contested determinations to undergo human review; and
• Prohibits the inclusion of non-immigration criminal history databases or use of the system for general law enforcement or surveillance.