Justice Department and Homeland Security disclosed letters to five states challenging voter eligibility
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The Justice Department and Homeland Security said they sent letters to California, Nevada, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Washington in the past four months, requesting verification of non-citizen voter registrations and reminding officials to preserve election records.
The Justice Department (DOJ) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) disclosed that they sent letters to five states—California, Nevada, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Washington—over the last four months. The letters, issued by the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, asked state election officials to work with DHS to verify whether individuals identified in a preliminary analysis were non-citizens registered to vote. The DOJ also reminded all states of their legal duty to preserve federal election records for 22 months, citing penalties of up to one year in prison and a $1,000 fine for willful non-compliance.
In California, the DOJ challenged more than 20,000 voters, and in Washington it challenged over 400. The disclosures came after U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ordered the DOJ to reveal which states had received election-related demands since July 1, as part of a lawsuit filed by Democratic groups alleging violations of the Voting Rights Act. While the judge partially granted the discovery request, the DOJ’s response largely objected to the inquiry’s language and withheld informal communications that were not recorded in writing.
The plaintiffs, including the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and several Democratic leaders, seek a temporary restraining order to block further federal pressure on states. Judge Boasberg is expected to rule on the request by early next week.
"Rather, these letters ask state election officials to work with DHS to verify whether individuals identified in a preliminary analysis are non-citizens who are registered to vote," the DOJ said.
The case highlights ongoing legal disputes over federal involvement in state election administration ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.