California Attorney General Rob Bonta co-led a coalition of 18 attorneys general in submitting a comment letter opposing the Department of Homeland Security's expansion of the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program to include U.S.-born citizens. The coalition argues the expansion violates the Privacy Act of 1974, creates a massive surveillance database, increases data breach risks, and will lead to inaccurate verifications and denial of benefits.
The coalition urges DHS to rescind the SAVE program expansion, arguing it violates the Privacy Act by adding records of natural-born citizens without consent and creates unacceptable privacy and security risks.
In-house legal teams should review agreements between state/local government agencies (or other entities) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/USCIS that involve the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program. Focus on clauses governing data sharing scope, consent requirements, data breach notification, data retention schedules, and accuracy guarantees. Specific changes may be needed to limit data use to verified immigration status purposes only, incorporate explicit consent mechanisms for U.S.-born citizens, enhance breach notification protocols, ensure data minimization and retention limits, and add provisions to prevent repurposing data for surveillance or unrelated federal investigations.
Entity
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Also known as: Department of Homeland Security
Industry
OtherOfficial Press Release
https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-slams-trump%E2%80%99s-latest-effort-feed-americans%E2%80%99-personal
SAVE SORN multistate comment letter final (12.1.25)
https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/SAVE%20SORN%20multistate%20comment%20letter%20-%20final%20%2812.1.25%29.pdf
California Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://oag.ca.gov/privacy/privacy-enforcement-actions
"U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS)"
"violates the Privacy Act of 1974"
"massive invasion of privacy that exposes millions of individuals to possible data breaches, pools vast swaths of sensitive data, and furthers the Administration’s efforts to create a national surveillance database"
Attorney General Jay Jones joined a coalition of 26 states to sue the Trump administration over unlawful conditions attached to counterterrorism and emergency funding. The conditions would require states to share voter data with DHS and assist in immigration enforcement, which the coalition argues violates the Administrative Procedure Act and the Spending Clause.
Other enforcement action: Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, joined by 18 other states, sued the Trump Administration over its unlawful $100,000 fee for H-1B visa petitions. The lawsuit alleges that the policy violates the Administrative Procedure Act by exceeding congressional authority and bypassing required rulemaking procedures, harming educational institutions and employers.
A bipartisan coalition of 33 state attorneys general, led by Minnesota AG Keith Ellison, began trial against Meta Platforms, Inc., alleging the company knowingly designed and deployed harmful features on Facebook and Instagram that drive children and teens to use the platforms compulsively, while falsely assuring parents and the public that its platforms were safe for young users. The states also allege Meta illegally collected personal information from children under 13 without parental consent, violating COPPA. The trial opened before Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, with the states seeking monetary penalties and injunctive relief.
A coalition of 12 state attorneys general, led by Colorado AG Phil Weiser, obtained a temporary restraining order from a federal court in California to halt the proposed $110 billion merger of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. by Paramount Skydance Corporation. The lawsuit alleges the merger violates Section 7 of the Clayton Act by substantially lessening competition in film distribution, anticipated blockbuster film distribution, and licensing cable TV channels.
The California Privacy Protection Agency (CalPrivacy) joined a coalition of 18 Attorneys General and state agencies in opposing the proposed SECURE Data Act, a federal privacy bill that would preempt stronger state privacy laws like the CCPA. The coalition argues the bill would weaken consumer privacy protections, limit enforcement remedies, and undermine California's Delete Request and Opt-out Platform (DROP).
A bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general began trial against Meta Platforms, Inc., alleging the company knowingly designed addictive features on Facebook and Instagram that harm children and teens, deceived parents about platform safety, and illegally collected personal information from children under 13 without parental consent in violation of COPPA. The states seek monetary penalties, an injunction to stop unlawful practices, and other relief. The trial is being litigated in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.