A whistleblower disclosure alleging that federal immigration officers were directed to investigate voter records using questionable data is raising concerns about the potential impact on naturalized U.S. citizens ahead of the November midterm elections.
Sens. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., publicized the allegations Sept. 14 and called for an investigation into actions by the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
According to the disclosure, USCIS Fraud Detection and National Security personnel were diverted from their regular duties to participate in what officials internally called an ‘Unlawful Voter Initiative.’
The whistleblower alleges officers were instructed to use unreliable data to identify potentially unlawful voters and that investigations could include U.S. citizens. The disclosure also alleges officers were directed to access state voter information while sometimes posing as voters.
DHS has faced growing scrutiny over federal efforts to obtain state voter information as the Trump administration continues to focus on allegations of noncitizen voting.
Padilla and Schumer, along with other Senate Democrats, have asked the DHS Office of Inspector General to conduct an independent investigation into the allegations.
Naturalized citizens are of particular concern because some federal databases used to verify citizenship may contain outdated information.
One such system is the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements program, commonly known as SAVE. The federal government has sought to expand the system’s use in verifying voter eligibility.
Critics contend that relying heavily on federal databases could incorrectly flag some naturalized citizens whose records have not been updated after they became citizens. Voting-rights organizations have challenged the government’s use of SAVE for voter-roll verification in court.
The controversy comes amid a broader national debate over election administration and noncitizen voting. Trump and his allies have repeatedly argued that stronger citizenship verification is necessary to protect elections, while voting-rights organizations contend that some proposed verification requirements could prevent eligible citizens from registering or voting.
The administration’s election initiatives have also produced disputes with state and local election officials over access to voter information and the federal government’s role in election administration.
At the Republican midterm convention in Dallas earlier this month, Trump again raised allegations of Democratic election cheating while leading supporters through a pledge to vote in November.
“I don’t care if I’m registered or not. I’m going to try and cheat like hell, like they do,” Trump told the crowd as supporters repeated his words.
Trump then encouraged those attending to bring family and friends to vote, including people who might vote for Democrats.
rump has repeatedly alleged widespread election fraud benefiting Democrats. Those claims remain a central part of his argument for tighter election rules.
The whistleblower disclosure does not by itself establish that the alleged conduct occurred. Senate Democrats are asking the DHS inspector general to investigate the claims and determine whether federal employees violated laws or agency policies.
For naturalized citizens, the dispute has broader implications. Approximately 26 million naturalized citizens live in the United States, and voting-rights advocates say citizenship-verification systems must distinguish accurately between non-citizens and immigrants who have completed the naturalization process and have the same voting rights as other U.S. citizens.
With the Nov. 3 midterm elections approaching, disputes over voter eligibility, federal databases and access to state voter records are likely to remain part of the national debate over election administration.
