Idaho Attorney General's Office Rejects DOJ Threats Over Voter Rolls

Jim Craig, a division chief in the Idaho Attorney General’s Office, issued a stern rejection of threats from the U.S. Department of Justice to criminally prosecute state and local election officials who permit noncitizen voting in the 2026 midterm elections. The warnings were part of a broader Trump administration effort to eradicate noncitizen voting across all 50 states.

Craig asserted that Idaho is committed to the goal of ensuring only U.S. citizens vote and defended the state's voter registration list as the best maintained in the country. He noted that the state had already purged rolls via a 2024 executive order issued by Governor Brad Little.

In his letter, Craig demanded that the Justice Department voluntarily dismiss an April lawsuit against Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane, which seeks to compel the release of sensitive voter data, including Social Security and driver's license numbers. Craig further criticized the federal government for failing to prosecute 15 noncitizens previously referred for illegal voting by McGrane's office.

Additionally, Craig accused the Justice Department of violating professional rules of conduct for attorneys by communicating directly with Secretary McGrane while he was under legal representation. The dispute follows offers of assistance from Harmeet Dhillon, an Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, regarding compliance with federal law.