Story perspectives

DHS Says 250K Noncitizens on Rolls, Experts Dispute

7/20/2026

Summary

Story summary

DHS said its review found 250,000 noncitizens on voter rolls in California, Nevada, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, using commercial data that experts say overstates the count.
President Donald Trump and DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced the findings and asked the four states’ secretaries of state to verify them.
The Brennan Center and Bipartisan Policy Center reported fewer than 30 confirmed noncitizen voting cases nationwide, about 0.04 % of verification cases.

History

Historical Context

The 2004 presidential race ignited nationwide doubts about voter-registration accuracy, and the 2005 GAO report recorded over 31,000 voting problems, about one-third involving registration. The controversy spurred a surge of voter-ID laws. Today, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and former President Donald Trump cite a claim of 250,000 noncitizens on California and Nevada rolls, echoing post-2004 reform pressures.

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Story summary

DHS said its review found 250,000 noncitizens on voter rolls in California, Nevada, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, using commercial data that experts say overstates the count.
President Donald Trump and DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced the findings and asked the four states’ secretaries of state to verify them.
The Brennan Center and Bipartisan Policy Center reported fewer than 30 confirmed noncitizen voting cases nationwide, about 0.04 % of verification cases.

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