The Department of Homeland Security told state election officials on Friday that a preliminary review identified what could be more than 256,000 potential noncitizens registered to vote across California, New Jersey, Nevada and Pennsylvania, the department said in letters obtained by Fox News Digital.
The letters, signed by DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, asked state election officials to work with the department to verify identities before any action is taken and set a July 24 deadline for states to contact DHS to begin the process.
What DHS reported
DHS said its initial, preliminary review estimates up to 190,832 potential noncitizen registrations in California, 35,152 in New Jersey, 15,903 in Nevada and 14,576 in Pennsylvania — totaling more than 256,000 across the four states, according to the letters.
The department also reported a subset it described as closer matches: DHS said 81,336 California registrants, 19,497 in New Jersey, 8,576 in Nevada and 8,594 in Pennsylvania had matching names, dates of birth, addresses and Social Security numbers in DHS records. DHS characterized all figures as the result of a preliminary review and not final determinations of ineligibility.
In four letters dated Friday, Mullin wrote that DHS compared publicly available voter registration records with federal immigration data and uncovered thousands of potential matches. He described the findings as a “preliminary review” and urged collaboration on verification, saying cooperation would help confirm identities before states consider any changes to voter rolls.
noncitizens registered to vote
The phrase refers to the focus of DHS’s matching work: identifying registrations that may belong to noncitizens in federal immigration records. DHS emphasized the matches are potential and preliminary, and that state verification is needed to confirm whether flagged registrations are ineligible.
How DHS matched records for noncitizens registered to vote
DHS said it used publicly available voter registration files and federal immigration records to identify potential overlaps. The department told officials it relied on several identifiers in its matching process, including names, dates of birth, addresses and Social Security numbers.
The department warned that use of Social Security numbers and basic biographical fields can produce false positives. DHS noted many lawful noncitizens — such as lawful permanent residents or those authorized to work — are issued Social Security numbers, and public records can contain errors or be out of date. DHS framed the exercise as a preliminary review that produced “potential matches,” not confirmed ineligible registrations.
Officials writing to state election offices said DHS can provide the immigration records it used under applicable federal disclosure rules so state officials can determine whether flagged individuals are citizens and should remain on voter rolls.
State responses and the verification request
The letters were sent to 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, DHS said.
Mullin asked the secretaries of state to contact DHS by July 24 so the department can begin sharing records and assist with identity verification ahead of future federal elections. The letters said verification through collaboration was “the most efficient way to ensure the accuracy of our findings,” according to the text provided to media.
DHS officials shared preliminary findings with state election offices, letters obtained by Fox News Digital say.
The affected state officials did not immediately provide public responses to the letters when contacted; DHS described the outreach as an offer to assist state-led verification rather than a federal directive to remove names from rolls.
Limits and why these figures are preliminary
DHS emphasized the numbers come from a preliminary review and that potential matches require further identity verification, warning of risks such as false positives when using shared identifiers. The department repeatedly labeled its results as “potential” and “preliminary,” and explicitly urged state verification before any removals or legal actions.
Because many lawful noncitizens have Social Security numbers and because public records may contain mistakes, matches on basic fields like name, date of birth and address can produce incorrect results. Officials said the department does not treat these matches as confirmed noncitizen registrations without state confirmation.
State officials will need to verify flagged records against their own voter databases and follow state procedures and legal requirements for any subsequent steps.
What this could mean for election administration
Election officials face the practical task of resolving flagged records while protecting eligible voters from improper removal. DHS framed its outreach as support for state-led verification rather than a directive to purge rolls.
Verification steps could include cross-checks with state databases, requests for documentary proof of citizenship where permitted by law, or coordination with federal agencies under applicable privacy and disclosure rules. Officials must balance the need for accurate rolls with legal protections and timelines ahead of future elections.
Advocates for stricter roll maintenance argue that identifying and removing ineligible registrations protects election integrity, while critics warn that overreliance on preliminary matches risks disenfranchising lawful voters if errors are not carefully resolved, a concern DHS acknowledged in its letters.
What comes next
States have until July 24 to contact DHS to request records and begin verification, per the letters. If a state chooses to engage, DHS said it would provide the immigration records underlying its matches to help confirm whether flagged registrations are ineligible.
Each state will decide whether to pursue verification, which verification methods to use, and how to proceed within state law. Any changes to voter rolls would follow state procedures and legal review; DHS has framed its role as providing information to support those processes, not ordering removals.
FAQ
How did DHS identify potential noncitizens on voter rolls?
DHS said it compared publicly available voter registration records with federal immigration data, using identifiers including Social Security numbers, names, dates of birth and addresses. The department described the process as a preliminary review that produced potential — not confirmed — matches.
Are these registrations confirmed noncitizen votes?
No. DHS characterized the results as “potential matches” arising from a preliminary review. The matches must be verified by state officials before any determination is made about eligibility or before any removal or legal action.
What steps will states take to verify matches?
The letters ask states to contact DHS by July 24 to obtain records and coordinate on identity verification. Typical next steps could include cross-checks with state databases, document review where allowed by law, and coordination with federal records to confirm citizenship status. DHS offered to share the immigration records it used so states can conduct those checks.
Source: Fox News Digital — More than a quarter-million noncitizens may be registered to vote in 4 key states, DHS alleges.
