Markwayne Mullin threatens state election officials with prosecution for failing to identify non-citizens on voter rolls
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin warned state election officials on Friday that they could face fines or prison time if they fail to identify non-citizens on voter rolls. The warning follows a primetime speech by President Trump, during which the administration highlighted vulnerabilities in the nation's voting systems. Mullin stated that the Department of Homeland Security has identified approximately 250,000 non-citizens registered to vote across California, New Jersey, Nevada, and Pennsylvania. To address these discrepancies, the administration is demanding that states turn over voter data for federal audits. Failure to comply could result in the loss of federal grant money. While the administration seeks to tighten registration, many state officials remain skeptical of the data. Some officials noted that the federal database used to flag non-citizens often requires further verification, as it can occasionally misidentify newly naturalized citizens. Despite these hurdles, the administration maintains that identifying illegal immigrants on the rolls is essential to ensuring the integrity of future elections.