Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin warned states Friday that federal election funding would be withheld if they fail to implement required security measures, including reviewing voter rolls for ineligible registrations.
DHS identified more than 250,000 potential non-citizens registered to vote across four states and sent letters to election officials requesting cooperation. The letters were sent to California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, New Jersey Secretary of State Dale Caldwell, Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar, and Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt.
“Election security is national security,” Mullin said. “Only Americans should be electing American leaders.”
DHS said preliminary reviews found potential non-citizen registrations in:
- California: 190,832
- New Jersey: 35,152
- Nevada: 15,903
- Pennsylvania: 14,576
Mullin gave the states two weeks to respond and confirm whether they will work with DHS to address the findings and ensure “free, fair, and honest elections.”
He added that security requirements, including securing voting machines and reviewing voter lists, would become mandatory for states seeking federal election grants and reimbursements.
