Karoline Leavitt slams NJ Gov. Sherrill over noncitizen voter rolls

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill for noncitizens registered to vote in the Garden State and questioned the timing of that announcement as Trump tightens election security.

“What I would say about New Jersey and the governor is that it is no coincidence that he suddenly decided to issue a press release saying that President Trump and the Republicans were right about non-citizens on our ballots,” Leavitt said.

“I think this governor is saying this because he understands that this administration is serious about illegal aliens voting in our country and being on our voter rolls,” he added.

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Sherrill announced Tuesday that 6,600 non-citizens had registered to vote through the New Jersey Motor Vehicle System due to a “serious software bug” in which the company, which provides identity-related security services, denied any wrongdoing. Leavitt said New Jersey’s admission that its voter rolls include noncitizens further validates the administration’s concerns about election integrity.

“Sherrill is telling the truth about the fact that this is happening in states across the country. It is absolutely unacceptable that noncitizens are voting on American voter rolls in U.S. elections, and she says it’s 6,600,” Leavitt said. “We suspect there are many more, not just in New Jersey but in states across the country.”

The appearance of non-citizens on New Jersey voter rolls comes less than a week after Trump’s first address to the nation, in which he called for securing “free and fair” elections.

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Representative Mikie Sherrill casts her ballot at a polling location inside Hillside Elementary School in Montclair, N.J., during the New Jersey gubernatorial election on November 4, 2025. (John Lamparski/Bloomberg)

Trump again highlighted the problem of noncitizens on voter rolls as he renewed his push for the SAVE America Act, which requires proof of citizenship and photo identification to register and vote in federal elections.

“I have also directed DHS to notify each state about noncitizens on their voter rolls and instruct them to immediately remove all ineligible voters from the rolls,” Trump said at the time.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin held a press conference following Trump’s election-related statements and warned that election officials who ignore information provided by DHS could face fines, sanctions and even prison time.

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President Donald Trump addresses the nation from the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 16, 2026. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

When asked by a reporter about his involvement in the latest revelations in New Jersey, Leavitt referred the reporter to the Department of Justice.

“If election officials choose not to do so after giving them the information they need to secure their election, then those individuals can be held liable with fines, penalties, and even jail time depending on how far it goes,” Mullin said.

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Fox News Digital has reached out to Governor Sherrill for comment.