The U.S. Supreme Court has temporarily cleared the way for states to use a revamped federal database to verify voter eligibility ahead of the November 2026 midterm elections.

In an emergency order issued Friday, the court lifted restrictions on the Department of Homeland Security’s Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program. The database can now be used by states to check citizenship information connected to voter rolls while the broader legal dispute continues.

The decision puts on hold a lower-court ruling that had blocked the administration’s expanded use of the system. Supporters of the database say it can help states verify voter information, while opponents have raised concerns about privacy and inaccurate records potentially affecting eligible voters.

The Supreme Court’s order does not authorize states to automatically remove voters from registration lists. Federal law generally restricts systematic voter-roll removals during the 90 days before a federal election, limiting the immediate impact of the ruling on the upcoming midterms.

The case remains part of a broader legal dispute over federal involvement in voter eligibility verification, citizenship data and election administration as states prepare for the 2026 elections.