Election Denial Shapes DHS Strategy Ahead of 2024 Midterms

Markwayne Mullin, former Oklahoma senator who voted with 146 Republicans to reject the 2020 Electoral College count, was confirmed as secretary of Homeland Security in March 2024. His election-denial stance places DHS at the forefront of controversy as the agency prepares for the 2024 midterms.

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After Russia’s 2016 interference, the government created CISA and funded the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC) to share cyber-threat data with 10,000 local jurisdictions. The Trump administration cut EI-ISAC funding in 2025, shrinking membership to under 20 %. Former CIA operative Gary Berntsen still cites “14 different technical ways” to steal an election. DHS border czar Tom Homan has floated using immigration enforcement at polling sites. Matt Crane, Jocelyn Benson, Paul Lux and EI-ISAC director Marci Andino have expressed distrust of DHS’s election role.

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DHS says Secretary Mullin is “committed to restoring integrity to election systems and ensuring that American citizens, and only American citizens, are electing American leaders.” Mullin told senators DHS agents would be sent to polls for threats. CISA says it offers voluntary services—threat sharing, vulnerability scanning and resilience-building—to officials on request.

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Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson warned that defunding “speaks for itself.” Colorado’s Matt Crane said he “doesn’t trust how the administration is using that data” and is discouraging county cooperation. Florida supervisor Paul Lux described “radio silence” from CISA. DHS claims it continues election security services, but CISA has not disclosed how many jurisdictions have received assistance. Mullin’s assertion agents will appear for threats conflicts with Homan’s suggestion that immigration enforcement could be used at polling sites.

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• “(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) GARY BERNTSEN: One of the things that we learned is there's 14 different technical ways that you can steal an election.” — Gary Berntsen, former CIA operative

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• “MARKWAYNE MULLIN: What undermines the election is letting fraud and deception steal the election from the real American people that voted legally.” — Markwayne Mullin, local TV interview, 2020

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• “And so I can't in good conscience advocate that any of my counties do any work with them right now.” — Matt Crane, former Colorado county clerk

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• “citizens can vote, I don't see the issue.” — Tom Homan, DHS border czar, The Charlie Kirk Show

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Congress has introduced a bill to restore funding for a nationwide threat-sharing service, though its prospects are uncertain. EI-ISAC will run a virtual election-day situation room without DHS. As the 2024 midterms near, jurisdictions must decide whether to rely on DHS amid lingering mistrust.

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