The Trump administration is building a national citizenship data system
text.npr.org

The Trump administration has, for the first time ever, built a searchable national citizenship data system.

The tool, which is being rolled out in phases, is designed to be used by state and local election officials to give them an easier way to ensure only citizens are voting. But it was developed rapidly without a public process, and some of those officials are already worrying about what else it could be used for.

NPR is the first news organization to report the details of the new system.

For decades, voting officials have noted that there was no national citizenship list to compare their state lists to, so to verify citizenship for their voters, they either needed to ask people to provide a birth certificate or a passport — something that could disenfranchise millions — or use a complex patchwork of disparate data sources.

    • tocopherol@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      32·
      2 days ago

      “Improper entry” through illegally crossing a border is a crime, but the majority of undocumented immigrants in the US don’t enter that way. “Unlawful presence” after a visa expires or is denied receives civil penalties rather than criminal, meaning they can’t lead to imprisonment but only fines or a court action like deportation.

      • FreedomAdvocate@lemmy.net.auEnglish
        23·
        2 days ago

        but the majority of undocumented immigrants in the US don’t enter that way.

        Doubt, especially given what we saw from 2021-early 2025.

        • tocopherol@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
          12·
          2 days ago

          You’re free to go look at the statistics easily found, I’m not gonna do your homework for you. Were you at the border?

            • tocopherol@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
              1·
              1 day ago

              This took 30 seconds to find

              Visa overstays have outnumbered people who enter the country illegally at the Southern border every year since 2007, according to a report by the Center for Migration Studies. The report’s authors estimate that the number of total visa overstays was 600,000 more than the total number of border crossers and that in 2014, visa overstays accounted for two-thirds of all new undocumented immigrants.

              https://www.npr.org/2019/01/10/683662691/where-does-illegal-immigration-mostly-occur-heres-what-the-data-tell-us

              This article has the most recent data I could find but if you look at the sources you can probably find better info. You’re welcome to prove me wrong.

                • tocopherol@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
                  1·
                  17 hours ago

                  The trend has continued steadily since then, and furthermore,

                  Bier wrote in November that his work showed the Biden administration “has removed a higher percentage of arrested border crossers in its first two years than the Trump DHS did over its last two years. Moreover, migrants were more likely to be released after a border arrest under President Trump than under President Biden.”

                  https://www.factcheck.org/2024/02/breaking-down-the-immigration-figures/

                  This is from 2024, the DHS spokesperson at the time:

                  “Under this Administration, the estimated annual apprehension rate has averaged 78%, identical to the rate of the prior Administration.”

                  The idea Biden opened the borders is thoroughly debunked. Like I said you’re the one telling me a bunch of bullshit so it’s on you to disprove reality, I don’t care enough to spoonfeed you the facts.

    • Lemminary@lemmy.worldEnglish
      12·
      2 days ago

      Parking illegally is a crime, bub.

      Not surprised a MAGAt can’t weigh not only the severity of the crime, but the motivations, its consequences, its long history, and overall social impact, and still decide they would rather lick boots instead. Good luck picking all that fruit in Texas and constructing those homes after a hurricane in Florida, though, champ. Send pics of your proud & hard work.

        • Lemminary@lemmy.worldEnglish
          21·
          2 days ago

          Is selling meth “wanting a better life and pulling your bootstrap”?

          Technically, yes, because it leaves a lot of money. Funny way of saying you have never worked a slave-wage job in your life. But immigrants aren’t selling meth, though, because that would be a FEDERAL crime and not a CIVIL OFFENSE. Curious comparison to reach for immediately.

          • FreedomAdvocate@lemmy.net.auEnglish
            11·
            2 days ago

            You said that commuting a crime of wanting a better life is ok, so I asked if wanting a better life by selling meth is ok……and you said yes….so yeah, your opinion isn’t really necessary after that.

        • InternetCitizen2@lemmy.worldEnglish
          12·
          2 days ago

          If they are selling method then simple police work is needed to catch them. No need for ICE. Be intellectually honest, you know selling meth isn’t really happening.