VERIFY Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8635
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Immigration
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-30: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-19T22:02:48Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The VERIFY Act of 2026 (H.R. 8635) aims to modernize the SAVE program—a federal system that verifies an individual's immigration status to determine eligibility for public benefits and entitlements—making it more accurate, timely, and interoperable with other government systems.
Key Provisions
- Modernization Requirements: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), must upgrade SAVE's technology, including faster query processing, automated data matching with source systems (like immigration records), expanded application programming interface (API) access for agencies, and a feedback tool for reporting errors.
- Timely Updates: Immigration status changes (e.g., approvals, extensions, revocations) must be reflected in SAVE within 24 hours of being recorded.
- Interoperability and Data Sharing: Integrate SAVE with DHS systems (e.g., arrival/departure records); update agreements with agencies like the Social Security Administration (SSA); encourage voluntary sharing of birth/death records from states, all while complying with privacy laws like the Privacy Act of 1974.
- Status Change Alerts: Notify agencies of post-verification immigration status changes relevant to benefits eligibility, with strict privacy protections.
- Data and Use Limits: SAVE data limited to eligibility checks only—no criminal history databases or law enforcement/surveillance uses.
- Automated Tools: Allowed for data matching and error reduction, but with safeguards: no sole reliance on automation for denials, required human review for disputes, and annual bias/accuracy testing reported to Congress.
- No Fees: Free access for all federal, state, local, and tribal agencies.
- Oversight: DHS submits a modernization plan within 180 days; annual audits by the DHS Inspector General (IG); corrective plans for issues, with potential funding limits or query suspension for non-compliance.
- Effective Date: Most provisions start one year after enactment; planning begins immediately. Includes a severability clause (invalid parts don't affect the rest).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces mandatory 24-hour status updates, technological upgrades (e.g., APIs, automation), and post-verification alerts—not previously required in the original SAVE program (from the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act).
- Explicitly bans fees (previously possible) and limits scope to prevent expansion into criminal or enforcement uses.
- Adds robust oversight (IG audits, congressional reporting) and privacy-compliant data-sharing mandates.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Faster, free, more reliable verifications reduce errors and delays in processing benefits like welfare or licenses; improved training and metrics enhance efficiency.
- Citizens and Immigrants: Quicker, accurate status reflections could speed up or prevent wrongful denials of benefits; alerts help maintain eligibility but raise privacy concerns if not managed well.
- No direct impacts on international relations noted.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- DHS/USCIS: Leads implementation and upgrades.
- Federal, State, Local, Tribal Agencies: Users of SAVE for benefits verification (e.g., SSA, welfare offices).
- Immigrants and Benefits Applicants: Subjects of verification, potentially benefiting from accuracy but affected by status checks.
- Congress and DHS Inspector General: Provide oversight and enforce compliance.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Privacy and Legal Compliance: Reinforces existing laws (e.g., Privacy Act, Computer Matching Act) with safeguards against misuse, limiting data to eligibility and requiring human oversight—mitigates risks of bias or overreach.
- Constitutional: No direct challenges noted; focuses on administrative efficiency without expanding enforcement powers.
- Political: Strengthens immigration status checks for entitlements, potentially reducing "benefits fraud" claims; severability ensures resilience against court challenges. Annual reporting promotes transparency and accountability.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Shreve, Jefferson [R-IN-6]
Cosponsors (1)
Rep. Taylor, David J. [R-OH-2]
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-30: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2026-04-30: Introduced in House
- 2026-04-30: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Verification Enhancement and Reliability for Immigration Fidelity Act of 2026 — issued 2026-04-30 — PDF (6 pages)