DHS Secretary Mullin warns election officials of potential prosecution over voter roll compliance

On July 17, 2026, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin addressed election officials in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., indicating that they could face criminal charges if they do not comply with federal demands regarding voter roll data. This statement followed President Donald Trump's recent claims of election fraud from 2020. Mullin asserted that a federal database had identified over 250,000 non-citizens registered to vote in California, New Jersey, Nevada, and Pennsylvania, although he did not clarify how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) obtained this information. The database in question, known as the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE), was originally intended for verifying citizenship for government benefits but has been repurposed for broader citizenship checks. Critics argue that the database is flawed and often misidentifies eligible voters. Mullin's comments included a demand for state officials to respond within two weeks regarding their collaboration with DHS to ensure election integrity. Recent federal court rulings have limited the executive branch's authority to demand changes to state voter rolls, yet Mullin emphasized that non-compliance could lead to scrutiny of voting practices in those states. A federal judge recently ruled against DHS's use of the SAVE database for monitoring state voter rolls, citing violations of federal laws concerning the pooling of personal information. This warning from Mullin follows a similar notice from the Department of Justice to state election officials regarding potential prosecution for noncitizen voting.