The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is intensifying its investigation into state election practices, with a focus on identifying noncitizens on voter registration lists as part of the Trump administration’s broader election integrity agenda. The initiative, spearheaded by the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, involves requesting detailed information from states, including personal data on noncitizens, sparking legal and political debates over voter fraud and election oversight.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has directed the DOJ to probe election practices nationwide, emphasizing the need for ‘clean voter rolls’ to ensure secure elections. The DOJ has sent unusual demand letters to local election offices in California, asking for extensive personal data on noncitizens potentially on voter registration lists. Some states, like Wisconsin and Utah, have shared recent election-related correspondence with the DOJ, while others, such as New Hampshire, have rejected data requests, citing legal limitations. The department has also sued Orange County, which resisted a request for voter data.
This probe stems from a March executive order by Trump, which tasked the attorney general with coordinating with states on election integrity, a priority for the former president since his 2020 election loss. Democrat-led states have sued over the order, with a federal judge temporarily blocking parts of it, arguing that the Constitution does not grant the President specific powers over elections. Critics, including Senator Dick Durbin, have accused the DOJ’s efforts of disproportionately targeting racial minorities and disadvantaged communities.
Despite the push, existing safeguards are generally effective, with states regularly identifying and removing noncitizens from voter rolls. A recent case in Michigan highlighted the rare occurrence of noncitizen voting, with a Chinese national allegedly casting a ballot in the 2024 election and facing charges.