DHS alleges over 256,000 non-citizens may be on voter rolls across 4 states
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FIRST ON FOX – The Department of Homeland Security told election officials in California, New Jersey, Nevada and Pennsylvania that a preliminary investigation could turn up more than 256,000 non-citizens registered to vote in the four states, according to letters obtained by Fox News Digital.
In four letters released Friday, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the department compared publicly available voter registration records with federal immigration data and uncovered thousands of potential matches. He asked state election officials to work with DHS to verify identities before taking any action.
According to the letters, DHS estimates that 190,832 noncitizens may be registered to vote in California, 35,152 in New Jersey, 15,903 in Nevada and 14,576 in Pennsylvania.
The department said it found 81,336 Californians, 19,497 New Jerseyans, 8,576 Nevadans and 8,594 Pennsylvania enrollees whose names, dates of birth, addresses and Social Security numbers matched noncitizens in DHS records.
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Voters cast their votes at the ballot box. (Rebecca Droke/AFP via Getty Images)
Many non-citizens are legally issued Social Security numbers, including lawful permanent residents, persons authorized to work in the United States, and certain visa holders. DHS said it uses Social Security numbers as one of several identifiers to match voter registration records with federal immigration records.
The letters state that the findings are a preliminary investigation.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin speaks at a news conference on July 1, 2026 in New York. (AP Photo/David ‘Dee’ Delgado)
“The most effective way to ensure the accuracy of our findings is to work collaboratively on authentication,” Mullin wrote. DHS said it is prepared to provide immigration records under federal law to help states determine whether these individuals are eligible to remain on voter rolls.
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Ensuring that only U.S. citizens vote in federal elections is essential to preserving election integrity, Mullin wrote, writing that “allowing a single noncitizen to vote nullifies the vote of a U.S. citizen.”
He added that states maintain voter registration lists, while the federal government maintains immigration records needed to verify citizenship.
Voter votes at polling place. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The letters ask secretaries of state to contact DHS by July 24 so the department can assist with the sharing and verification process of records ahead of the next federal election.
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California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt, New Jersey Secretary of State Dale Caldwell and Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.
The letters come as the Trump administration continues to push states to work more closely with federal agencies on election security and voter eligibility, suggesting that access to federal immigration records could help states maintain accurate voter rolls.
