Cybersecurity Policy Report, Election ‘Integrity’ Work Would Violate Federal Privacy Law, Wyden Tells SSA, (Apr 3, 2026)
Organizations Mentioned:Social Security Administration
President Trump’s executive order on election “integrity” would require the Social Security Administration (SSA) to violate its own laws and rules by providing data about Americans to the Department of Homeland Security to compile “state citizenship lists” of eligible voters, according to Sen. Ron Wyden (D., Ore.).
“As you know, SSA systems include the most sensitive personally identifiable information and personal health information for every American with a Social Security Number (SSN), including their immigration and citizenship status, for the purposes of administering the Social Security programs,” Sen. Wyden noted in a letter sent yesterday to SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano.
“As such, stringent federal laws and regulations protect sensitive personal and financial information from improper disclosure and misuse, including disclosure to federal and state agencies,” Sen. Wyden said.
“Under SSA’s own regulations, SSA may only disclose pursuant to a routine use for determining eligibility or amount of benefit in a health or income maintenance program. Simply put, sharing Americans’ personal data to DHS for creating a ‘state citizenship’ list does not meet this standard,” he said.
Sen. Wyden, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over SSA, asked Mr. Bisignano to respond to the letter within 14 days with information about SSA’s plans to share SSA data with DHS and how such sharing would be lawful under the Privacy Act and Social Security Act.
President Trump’s EO on election integrity also is being challenged in federal court by congressional Democrats and Democratic groups over potential violations of the 1974 Privacy Act (CPR, April 2).
The EO, issued Tuesday, aims to restrict mail-in and absentee voting, which President Trump claims are rife with fraud.
News: FederalLegislation DataPrivacy