Markwayne Mullin warns state officials of potential prison time for failing to identify non-citizens on voter rolls

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin urged state election officials to audit voter rolls to identify non-citizens, warning that officials could face fines or prison time for failing to comply with federal methods. The administration announced that a preliminary review identified more than 250,000 non-citizens registered to vote across four states: California, New Jersey, Nevada, and Pennsylvania. While the administration pushed for the use of the expanded SAVE system to verify citizenship, several state officials expressed skepticism regarding the data's accuracy. Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar dismissed the federal figures as "wildly speculative," noting that the administration has not yet shared the specific methodology used to reach those numbers. Additionally, some experts pointed out that the SAVE system often flags naturalized citizens as non-citizens, potentially leading to the accidental removal of eligible voters. Despite these critiques, the administration continues to use these findings to advocate for tighter election security and a larger role for the federal government in the upcoming midterm elections.

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