DHS Launches Voter Fraud Surge Across Nine States

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will launch a coordinated criminal voter fraud surge initiative starting Tuesday, targeting Washington, Wisconsin, Missouri, Georgia, California, Pennsylvania, Nevada, New York, and Connecticut. Led by Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Homeland Security Investigations will conduct field interviews and pursue investigative leads from early September through mid-October to identify noncitizens who may have illegally registered or voted.

This initiative follows a March executive order by President Donald Trump directing the department to identify eligible voters and the Justice Department to prioritize the prosecution of election officials who issue ballots to ineligible individuals. The surge bypasses long-standing Justice Department policies that discourage overt investigative actions during election cycles to avoid influencing campaigns. The U.S. Supreme Court recently lifted a court order that had blocked the administration from implementing restrictions on mail-in ballots.

President Trump is further pressuring the Senate to pass the SAVE America Act, which would require documented proof of citizenship for voter registration, and is advocating for the U.S. Postal Service to restrict mail ballots to verified citizens. While the administration claims evidence of noncitizen voting is increasing, internal records show discrepancies; for example, DHS publicly claimed nearly 16,000 noncitizens were on Nevada's rolls but privately confirmed only 185. Opponents and election officials argue these efforts are designed to destabilize confidence in election administration and create a pretext for challenging the 2026 election results.