Trump Administration Expands Subpoena Campaign Targeting Noncitizen Voter Records Ahead of Midterms

The Trump administration has issued more than 100 subpoenas demanding voter-registration records in at least 13 states. Many were issued under grand-jury authority and seek information on tens of thousands of voters. The Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security are using the subpoenas as an additional avenue to obtain data that could be used in post-election legal challenges.

ReutersJapan TimesThe GuardianABC News AustraliaCNN

Noncitizen voting is illegal in U.S. federal elections, but studies and Reuters analyses have found it to be exceedingly rare. Since Trump returned to office, federal prosecutors have accused 147 individuals of voting illegally, a rate of fewer than one case per million voters in the 2024 election. The current subpoena push follows earlier DOJ lawsuits against 30 states for voter-roll data and a federal judge’s October 21 order halting Homeland Security field operations in nine states.

ReutersJapan TimesThe GuardianABC News AustraliaCNN

• More than 100 subpoenas identified, covering at least 13 states.

Reuters

• Grand-jury subpoenas number at least 49.

Reuters

• The Justice Department charged 28 legal permanent residents in California on October 19 for alleged noncitizen voting or false statements.

Reuters

• Washington state was asked to set aside ballots from over 400 individuals; the request cites 1,500 votes cast by those people in prior elections.

The Guardian

Steve Hobbs, Washington’s secretary of state, said he is reviewing the Justice Department’s request and noted that the timing—one week before the election—appears intended to cast suspicion on the results.

The Guardian

Former U.S. attorney Paul Charlton called the investigations “clearly a distraction” for local officials. Voting-rights groups argue that repeated reviews have found no evidence that noncitizen voting has altered any election outcome, labeling the effort a politically motivated “distraction.”

Reuters

• President Trump claimed the administration identified more than 275,000 noncitizen voters in four Democratic-leaning states, a figure disputed by state officials who say the data are unreliable.

Reuters

• Nevada officials initially reported nearly 16,000 potential noncitizens, later revising the number to fewer than 200 and concluding all were citizens.

Reuters

• Washington’s request targets 400 individuals, yet the list includes a voter whose last ballot was cast in 1994, raising questions about relevance.

The Guardian

• Courts have blocked similar DOJ actions in California and Alaska; the outcomes of ongoing appeals remain unknown.

The Guardian

• “Up until now, they’ve found one instance of someone voting in an election that shouldn’t have been voting,” — James Lamanna, city clerk and election chief

Reuters

• “The timing of this request – one week before the general election – is no doubt intended to cast unfounded suspicion on the results,” — Steve Hobbs

The Guardian

The subpoenas were disclosed on October 28, ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. State officials in Washington, California and Alaska are expected to respond in the days before Election Day, and federal courts may hear additional challenges as results are tallied.

The Guardian