July 17, 2012 09:11 AM UTC

Homeland Security Gives Gessler Okay for Citizenship Check

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• by: nancycronk

Source: AP

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has given Secretary of State Scott Gessler permission to use SAVE — Systematic Alienation Verification for Entitlements — to check citizenship status on thousands of Colorado voters. The system is currently used by government programs such as Medicaid to determine who is, and who is not, eligible for assistance.

Today’s announcement came one week after State Attorney General John Suthers threatened to sue DHS over use of the system. Two days ago, DHS gave similar permission to the State of Florida’s election officials.

Matt Inzeo, spokesperson for the Colorado Democratic Party, expressed concern about the possibility partisanship may have played a role in Suther’s judgment. According to Andrew Cole, spokesperson for Gessler, voters who are suspected of not being citizens will receive a letter alerting them they have been flagged as a non-citizen, and asking them if an error has been made. The County clerks would then have the responsibility of deleting voters who cannot prove their citizenship.

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