Congressman Jefferson Shreve introduced the VERIFY Act of 2026 with Congressman Dave Taylor, according to a May 4 statement. The legislation comes after several fatal crashes involving individuals holding commercial driver’s licenses unlawfully, including incidents that resulted in the deaths of Hoosiers.
The VERIFY Act aims to modernize the Department of Homeland Security’s Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements system, known as SAVE. This system is used by agencies to verify immigration status when issuing licenses, benefits, and other approvals.
Supporters say current gaps and delays in federal record updates have left agencies relying on outdated information when making eligibility decisions. The new bill would require immigration status updates within 24 hours, improve coordination across federal databases, and strengthen oversight so that federal, state, local, and tribal agencies receive faster and more reliable verification.
“This is about accountability. When agencies issue commercial driver’s licenses, they need accurate information without delay,” said Congressman Shreve. “Americans have died because of these failures. The SAVE system is outdated. The VERIFY Act brings it into the modern era and strengthens public safety.”
Congressman Taylor also commented on the importance of the measure: “The SAVE system is vital to ensuring that individuals in our country are here lawfully,” said Taylor. “I am proud to support Rep. Shreve’s efforts to strengthen enforcement from within and protect Americans from bad actors. By modernizing the SAVE System, we will equip the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies with the most accurate, reliable data to enforce our nation’s immigration laws.”
The full text of the bill can be read online.