The Trump administration says a new federal review of state voter registration records has uncovered tens of thousands of noncitizens who were registered to vote, renewing the debate over election security and voter roll maintenance.
According to documents released by the White House on Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says investigations have identified more than 250,000 foreign nationals registered to vote across California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Nevada. The administration said those states have been notified and that DHS is assisting officials in identifying and removing ineligible registrations.
The administration also announced that the investigation is expanding into additional states.
Enhanced SAVE System Reveals More Findings
At the center of the effort is DHS’s expanded Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program, which the Trump administration says allows states to verify citizenship status more quickly and accurately when reviewing voter registration rolls.
According to the White House, 25 states had processed more than 68 million voter registration records through the enhanced system as of June 22, 2026.
The administration says those reviews identified:
- More than 400,000 deceased registrants
- More than 28,000 noncitizens who were allegedly registered to vote illegally
Officials argue the new verification process provides states with a faster way to maintain accurate voter rolls while complying with existing federal election laws.
Legal Challenge
The administration’s election integrity efforts have already encountered legal opposition.
The White House criticized a recent ruling by Judge Sparkle Sooknanan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, who temporarily blocked the administration from using the streamlined version of the enhanced SAVE system while legal challenges proceed.
Supporters of the administration argue the system is necessary to ensure only eligible citizens remain on voter rolls. Critics have raised concerns about implementation and whether the process could inadvertently affect eligible voters.
Election Integrity Remains a Major Political Issue
The findings are likely to intensify the national debate over election security, voter registration maintenance, and citizenship verification.
Federal law prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections. States are responsible for maintaining accurate voter registration lists, while federal agencies may assist with citizenship verification under laws including the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and the Help America Vote Act of 2002.
The Trump administration says its investigation into voter registration records is continuing and expects additional states to participate in the enhanced verification process in the coming months.