Full Breakdown
ICE and DHS Launch Massive Voter-Fraud Data Operation Ahead of 2026 Midterms
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Operation Details
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s investigative arm, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), is conducting a nationwide effort to identify non-citizens who may have registered or voted illegally. Internal documents obtained by the advocacy group Democracy Forward show that HSI has compiled two large voter-record datasets: 50.6 million records from a Justice Department source and 48.4 million records supplied through “independent sources” linked to senior counselor Heather Honey, an adviser to the ICE director and Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin. The agency also incorporated more than 26,000 records from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The operation follows a “phased national initiative” that moves from data acquisition to analysis, lead generation, and field investigations. HSI officials have earmarked Pennsylvania and New Jersey as primary targets for reviewing nonprofit voter-registration groups, with additional reviews in Texas, California, Minnesota, Michigan, Arizona, Florida, Georgia and Ohio.
Background and Context
The data-driven push is part of an election-integrity campaign advanced by the Trump administration. Former President Donald Trump has promoted the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship for voting and tighten mail-ballot rules. Heather Honey, noted for promoting false claims about the 2020 election, has become a central figure in the administration’s strategy to scrutinize voter rolls using immigration-enforcement tools.
Data and Statistics
- 50.6 million voter records ingested from a Justice Department dataset (June 1 report).
- 48.4 million voter records obtained via “independent sources” tied to Heather Honey.
- >26,000 records derived from USCIS databases.
- Targeted nonprofit reviews include dozens of groups in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio and other states.
- State voter-roll information may have been entered into Palantir’s ELITE system, an ICE platform used to locate individuals for immigration enforcement.
Official Statements and Responses
The Department of Homeland Security has not responded to requests for comment on the operation. ICE likewise declined to comment when approached by Democracy Docket.
Criticism and Opposition
Democracy Forward President and CEO Skye Perryman argued that the initiative reflects an effort by the president and his allies to “pick their voters,” contrary to democratic norms in which voters select leaders. The organization contends that leveraging immigration-enforcement databases for election purposes raises serious civil-rights concerns.
On-the-Ground Findings
Investigators reported no derogatory information on dozens of New Jersey groups examined, found no suspicious financial activity in a separate nonprofit review, and closed an Ohio inquiry after exhausting leads. A June-month report indicated officials were still exploring the deployment of undercover agents to engage organizations suspected of encouraging non-citizens to register.
Separately, HSI documented the infiltration of “Rapid Response Network” activist groups in Minneapolis. A report dated July 23, 2026 noted that undercover agents had provided intelligence confirming coordinated surveillance, harassment, and obstruction of federal law-enforcement officers by anti-ICE demonstrators.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The internal documents do not specify the nature of the “independent sources” that supplied the 48.4 million-record dataset, nor do they clarify whether the Justice Department and independent datasets contain overlapping individuals. This lack of detail hampers assessment of the total unique records analyzed.
What’s Next
HSI officials continue to evaluate whether undercover resources will be employed against organizations deemed to be actively recruiting non-citizens for voter registration. No formal decision or timeline has been disclosed.