Trump DHS using unverified figures to attack election officials on non-citizen voting

Trump DHS Using Unverified Figures in Election Official Attack

Trump DHS using unverified figures to attack – The Trump DHS using unverified figures has become the centerpiece of a renewed federal campaign against state election administrators. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin intensified these efforts on Friday, challenging claims about non-citizen voting while relying on data that officials acknowledge lacks complete verification. The Department of Homeland Security’s internal recognition that these statistics remain unverified creates a notable contradiction in the administration’s public messaging.

Mullin’s assertions, which echoed President Donald Trump’s Thursday evening address, claim approximately 250,000 non-citizens have registered to vote across California, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Yet official correspondence sent to state authorities reveals more measured language about the accuracy of these numbers.

Federal-State Tensions Over Voter Data

It says that there “may be as many as 14,576 non-citizens on the states voter rolls,” but that 8,594 came up as matches as non-citizens on its files.

Mullin’s letter to Pennsylvania specifically underscores how the Trump DHS using unverified figures continues to pressure state officials. The correspondence requests cooperation to strengthen identity verification while confirming federal findings. This collaborative request stands in contrast to the administration’s broader strategy of compelling states to surrender comprehensive voter registration records for federal review.

State election leaders from both major parties have voiced concerns to CNN that the Trump administration plans to amplify the perceived scope of non-citizen voting. Officials worry this narrative could undermine confidence in upcoming midterm elections, particularly if Republican candidates face unexpected losses. The federal push for voter data has encountered substantial legal resistance, with over twelve judicial decisions favoring states that declined to release their electoral rolls.

“If the election officials – once we gave them the information they need to secure their elections, and they chose not to – then those individuals can also be held accountable by fines, by penalties, and even, depending on how far it goes, prison,” Mullin said.

Friday’s remarks included threats of criminal prosecution against administrators who refuse to participate in DHS voter roll examinations. This follows similar warnings issued by the Justice Department earlier in the month to all fifty states. Many election officials dismissed these threats while attending a gathering in South Dakota during the presidential address.

“I’m not intimidated by that at all,” New Hampshire’s Republican Secretary of David Scanlan, whose state recently secured the dismissal of a DOJ lawsuit seeking the data, told CNN Thursday.

“I see this is a temper tantrum disguised as an official letter because they have hit roadblocks,” added Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, a Democrat.

Idaho’s Republican attorney general issued a pointed response to federal threats, characterizing allegations of criminal election law violations as unfounded. The federal government relies on the SAVE system—Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements—to identify potential non-citizen voters. This database has historically produced inflated estimates of registered non-citizens, prompting DHS to require additional investigation when states voluntarily utilize the program for voter list maintenance.

“We can affirm that on its face, we refute these claims,” Nevada Democratic Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar told CNN in a statement Friday. “These numbers are wildly speculative at best and the Department of Homeland Security hasn’t shared anything that backs it up.”

While the administration has not disclosed how many of the identified individuals actually cast ballots, Mullin confirmed that investigations are underway. Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt emphasized that non-citizen voting remains exceptionally uncommon nationwide.

“All evidence has shown that noncitizen voting is extremely rare across the country, including in Pennsylvania,” Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt, a Republican, said in a statement Thursday night. “While the Department has made clear that we cannot share Pennsylvanians’ private, personal information, we welcome DHS sharing their methodology and list of potential ineligible voters so we can carefully review the validity of their claims.”