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Investigators have been instructed to follow leads and help move cases to federal prosecutors.
The operation is set to start about two months before Election Day and planned to continue into the period when early and mail voting will be well underway in many parts of the country.
HSI is part of ICE but different from the part of ICE, its investigators work cases involving crimes with human trafficking, drug smuggling, financial crimes and child exploitation.
Some immigration officers are being pulled away from their normal jobs
The Washington Post reported that hundreds of USCIS officers who usually investigate fraud & security concerns in immigration applications are now reassigned to review voter-data for noncitizens. DHS didn’t confirm the number, but a USCIS spokesperson confirmed the voter-data operation.
Immigration databases are participating in this
Trump has spent much of his second term directing federal agencies to use government records to identify possible noncitizens on voter rolls. A March 2025 executive order instructed DHS to compare state voter records with federal immigration databases and pointed the Justice Department to focus enforcement of laws against noncitizen voting.
Then came a second executive order, March 31, 2026 that took it further…
It directed DHS, working through USCIS and the Social Security Administration, to create a federal list for every state containing people the government can confirm are U.S. citizens, at least 18 years old and residents of that state, the Trump administration calls these “State Citizenship Lists.”
The order says the lists must be sent to state election officials at least 60 days before a scheduled federal election and for the November 3 midterms, federal court records calculate that deadline as September 4.
A May opinion from the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel concluded that federal law allows DOJ to obtain statewide voter lists and share them with DHS, including HSI, so those records can be checked against federal databases.
What has the Government Found?
An August investigation by ProPublica looked at the federal government’s noncitizen-voting effort from January 2025 through May 2026.
Despite tens of thousands of leads, ProPublica found that less than 150 alleged noncitizen voters had been referred for prosecution. Forty one were charged with voting illegally or related election crimes, and prosecutors obtained convictions or guilty pleas in 14 cases through May.
It also shows why a database “match” shouldn’t be used as evidence that someone illegally voted, DHS says more than 250,000 potential-noncitizens have been identified on voter rolls in California, Nevada, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. State election officials questioned the numbers and how they were produced.
DHS initially suggested that nearly 16,000 noncitizens could be registered in Nevada.
After further review, federal officials told Nevada that they had confirmed 185 people as noncitizens, while more than 14,000 cases still required additional review, according to records reported by The Washington Post.
ProPublica reported that HSI personnel themselves warned internally that comparing voter lists against immigration databases without strong unique identifiers could generate large numbers of false matches.
Is all of this legal?
The legal concern is how voter information is collected and how much authority the president has on election administration and what states can be required to do.
A federal judge previously blocked portions of Trump’s March 2026 election order but on August 24, the Supreme Court stayed that injunction while litigation continues, allowing the administration to move forward
This is also Unusual Timing
The Justice Department recognizes that federal election investigations can influence elections just by becoming public.
Justice Manual says investigators generally should avoid overt criminal investigative steps involving alleged ballot fraud until an election is over because doing otherwise can chill legitimate voting and inject law enforcement into an ongoing political battle.
Exceptions can be approved. Read the Justice Department election-investigation policy
The DOJ policy addresses types of ballot-fraud investigations, and federal officials can investigate other election-related crimes before an election.
🗳️ Do This: Check your voter registration
Double check: Confirm your registration, address and other information by clicking here:
Does something look off?
The Election Protection hotline is here to help you with registration problems, voting rules and more:
Call or text 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).
*If a federal investigator reached out to you about your registration or voting history, document it and consider seeking legal advice before assuming it is a routine election office request.
Important Dates:
(And one to be announced soon… ❌👑❌)
September 4: Trump’s executive order requires DHS to transmit its State Citizenship Lists 60 days before the midterms.
September 8 New Hampshire Primary
September 9 Rhode Island Primary
September 15 Delaware Primary
Mid October: The new nine state HSI voter-fraud surge is scheduled to wind down.
November 3: Midterm Election Day.
Should federal immigration agencies be involved in election enforcement at all?
Sources & Additional Reading
Reuters: DHS launches voter-fraud investigation surge
Washington Post: immigration officers diverted to voter-fraud effort
ProPublica: Inside Trump’s effort to find noncitizen voters
Associated Press: examining the administration’s noncitizen-voting claims
DOJ: legal opinion on obtaining and sharing statewide voter rolls
Supreme Court: Trump v. California
White House: Executive Order 14399
Never, in my 60 years of voting in our country has there EVER been a problem with polling places. NEVER has there ever been a question as to whom is allowed to vote because we are to show a valid ID at the time we register to exercise our RIGHT to vote. It is only because the very insecure, sure to be beaten republicans are trying to intimidate us. DO NOT LET THEM. Use your voices, and VOTE THIS ADMINISTRATION OUT.
They are shutting down many voting polls too. Especially in blue districts and where people of color vote. Don't let stop us from voting. We have to vote no matter what obstacle they put before us.