The Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security are nearing a formal agreement that would allow federal authorities to use voter registration data in immigration and criminal probes, according to sources familiar with the discussions.
Under the plan, the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division would provide voter roll data collected from states to Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, with the goal of identifying non-citizens who may be registered to vote or who may have participated in past elections unlawfully. The request for access is expected to be submitted by Todd Lyons, currently serving as the senior official performing the duties of ICE director.
Officials are also considering building a system that would enable federal investigators to cross-reference voter registration records with DHS immigration databases, allowing direct query-based matching between the two systems.
A DOJ spokesperson said the department is allocating significant resources to ensure elections remain “free, fair, and transparent,” emphasizing efforts to maintain accurate voter rolls and ensure that only American citizens determine election outcomes. Sources said the White House has been involved in discussions surrounding the arrangement.
The potential agreement comes as the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division continues legal battles with 28 states and the District of Columbia after officials refused to provide unredacted voter registration data.
