VERIFY Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Shreve, Jefferson [R-IN-6]
Introduced
Summary
Modernize the SAVE verification system to make immigration-status checks faster, more accurate, and more interoperable for agencies that verify eligibility. The bill would upgrade SAVE's infrastructure, require 24-hour status updates, expand API access, and prohibit fees for government queries.
Show full summary
- State, local, Tribal, and Federal agencies would gain expanded API access, automated data reconciliation, and no fees for submitting SAVE queries to cut verification delays.
- People whose benefits depend on immigration status would have changes (grants, extensions, expirations, revocations, or terminations) reflected in SAVE within 24 hours, and querying agencies would receive post-verification alerts when status materially changes.
- The bill would limit data to information necessary for eligibility and bar using SAVE for criminal or general law enforcement purposes. It would forbid adverse eligibility decisions based solely on automated processing, require human review of negative or contested results, mandate annual accuracy and bias testing, and create annual Inspector General audits plus corrective-action plans with a 90-day remediation timeline and possible query suspension for noncompliance.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Faster status checks for immigrants
If enacted, the bill would require USCIS to modernize the SAVE system to make verifications faster and more accurate. Agencies would get expanded API access, and SAVE would be integrated with DHS arrival and departure systems and updated data-sharing agreements with Social Security and other agencies. The bill would require status changes recorded in source systems to be reflected in SAVE within 24 hours when practicable, and the Secretary must send a modernization plan to Congress within 180 days. Planning and reporting rules would start immediately, most operational changes would take effect one year after enactment, and government agencies could not be charged fees for SAVE queries.
Government audits of immigration checks
If enacted, the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General would audit the SAVE program every year for accuracy, timeliness, and compliance. The IG would report findings to Congress, and if major problems are found, DHS would have 90 days to send a corrective action plan. Continued non-compliance could lead Congress to limit some DHS funding and could cause SAVE queries to be suspended until problems are fixed. These steps would aim to improve reliability but could also delay verifications used for benefit checks while issues are corrected.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Shreve, Jefferson [R-IN-6]
IN • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Taylor, David J. [R-OH-2]
OH • R
Sponsored 4/30/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov