Alaska's DMV software erroneously auto-registered Eva Benedelova and Pavel Benedela as voters in 2022 by generating forms with their digital signatures and marking them as citizens. The error surfaced during their naturalization process, prompting USCIS to delay approvals and warn that false claims of citizenship can lead to deportation. The couple say they never voted, canceled the registrations, and sued USCIS to force a decision. Alaska's Division of Elections admitted state fault and said "less than 50" people may have been affected, highlighting the dangers of automated government databases.
Alaska DMV Glitch Auto-Registered Noncitizens as Voters, Threatening Their Naturalization
Brickbat: Fast Service
Eva Benedelova and Pavel Benedela face possible deportation after a 2022 error in Alaska's Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) online system autogenerated voter-registration forms and marked them as U.S. citizens — even though the couple are not citizens and had opted out of voter registration.
What Happened
When the pair updated their driver's licenses online in 2022, the DMV system used their digital signatures to create voter-registration forms and incorrectly recorded them as citizens without their knowledge or consent. The registrations were created automatically by the DMV software; the couple say they never voted and canceled the registrations as soon as they discovered them.
Impact On Naturalization
The error emerged during the couple's naturalization process, prompting U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to delay approvals and warn that falsely claiming U.S. citizenship can have serious immigration consequences, including deportation. Seeking resolution, Benedelova and Benedela sued USCIS to compel a decision on their naturalization applications.
The Alaska Division of Elections has acknowledged the mistake and estimated that "less than 50" people may have been wrongfully registered in the same way.
Why It Matters
This case highlights the real-world risks when automated government systems and database errors produce inaccurate records that can jeopardize immigrants' legal status. Even if no malicious intent exists, erroneous records can trigger severe administrative and legal consequences for applicants undergoing immigration review.
What Affected Individuals Should Do
Anyone who updated a driver's license or interacted with DMV systems should check their voter-registration status and immigration records. Affected people may want to keep documentation of corrections, promptly cancel any incorrect registrations, and consult an immigration attorney if their naturalization or immigration status is delayed or questioned.
Background: The story was first reported by Reason.com and underscores concerns about data integrity, automated form generation, and the intersection of state databases with federal immigration enforcement.
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