Trump administration election letter draws criticism over federal overreach concerns
The warning ties federal grant money to election-security rules and threatens prosecution, even as critics say noncitizen voting remains rare.
- The Federal Emergency Management Agency will withhold 20% of Homeland Security Grant program funding from states and high-risk urban election jurisdictions until they prove compliance with election security requirements; more than $1 billion is at stake with applications due July 24.
- Following a March 30 executive order, the Trump administration directed the Department of Homeland Security to compile voter eligibility lists for each state as part of its priority on preventing noncitizen voting, despite little evidence of widespread noncitizen casting ballots.
- States must use the SAVE system to verify citizenship of every voter within 120 days, hand-audit at least 5% of ballots after elections, and transition to hand-marked paper ballots; however, a federal judge ruled two days before the notice that states cannot use SAVE for voter eligibility checks.
- House Homeland Security Committee Democrats, led by Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, called the requirements potentially illegal in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and acting FEMA Administrator Robert Fenton, warning of $200 million at risk for noncompliant communities.
- Legal challenges are widely expected as conversion costs mount—Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger estimated switching to hand-marked paper ballots will cost $66 million—while prior court rulings blocking similar Trump administration funding conditions suggest litigation will likely succeed.
26 Articles
26 Articles
Trump administration election letter draws criticism over federal overreach concerns
The Justice Department sent a letter to all state election officials warning that they could be criminally charged if they allow non-citizens to vote. The move is part of the Trump administration's push on election integrity ahead of the midterms. Critics call this federal overreach, saying existing safeguards are already in place.Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes criticized the Justice Department's letter, calling it adversarial, and sai…
Idaho Capital Sun
Idaho County Free PressTrump administration threatens to criminally prosecute Idaho election officials if noncitizens vote
Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane discusses his presidential caucus experiences outside of his caucus site at Whittier Elementary in Boise on March 2, 2024. (Otto Kitsinger for Idaho Capital Sun)The Trump administration warned Idaho’s top election official that local and state election officials could be criminally prosecuted if they don’t stop noncitizens from voting in the federal 2026 midterm elections. The letter — which is similar to on…
Colorado Newsline
Trump administration targeting states' DHS grants to force voting changes, House Dems say
Booths await voters during the May 19, 2026, primary election at Temple View Elementary School in Idaho Falls, Idaho. (Photo by Pat Sutphin/Idaho Capital Sun) The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s guidelines to states on how to request funding under counterterrorism grant programs include potentially illegal demands related to election administration, Democrats on the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee said Thursday. The Department of Ho…
democraticaccent.com
DHS plans costly crackdown on states that don’t cooperate on election security
FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Homeland Security will withhold billions in preparedness grant funding from states that refuse to adopt new election security measures, including voter citizenship verification, post-election audits and expanded use of paper ballots. The push comes as President Donald Trump and many Republicans slam states that do not want to let the federal government audit their voter rolls, while also criticizing the snail’s-pa…
Iowa Capital Dispatch
Trump administration targeting states’ DHS grants to force voting changes, House Dems say
Booths await voters during the May 19, 2026, primary election at Temple View Elementary School in Idaho Falls, Idaho. (Photo by Pat Sutphin/Idaho Capital Sun) The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s guidelines to states on how to request funding under counterterrorism grant programs include potentially illegal demands related to election administration, Democrats on the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee said Thursday. The Department of Ho…
West Virginia response to DOJ letter describing prosecuting officials if noncitizens vote: no need
DOJ's Civil Rights Division sent letters this week to West Virginia and other states repeatedly warning that officials could face criminal prosecution if noncitizens vote. The post West Virginia response to DOJ letter describing prosecuting officials if noncitizens vote: no need appeared first on WV MetroNews.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 42% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
