Key facts
- Over 100 subpoenas issued for voter records in at least a dozen states.
- Effort aims to identify noncitizen voters ahead of midterm elections.
- Subpoenas target Democratic strongholds and competitive Republican-leaning states.
- Legal experts warn data could be used to contest election results.
- Studies indicate noncitizen voting is exceedingly rare.
The Trump administration has launched an extensive campaign to identify noncitizen voters ahead of the midterm elections, issuing over 100 subpoenas for voter records in at least a dozen states. This effort, which includes federal law enforcement agents questioning residents and the Justice Department suing states for voter rolls, aims to uncover evidence of illegal voting. While the White House asserts noncitizen voting is a significant problem, multiple studies and a Reuters analysis suggest it is rare. Legal experts express concern that the collected data could be used to challenge election results, particularly in close races, potentially sowing chaos and undermining election legitimacy.