Justice Department officials say a nationwide review of election databases has uncovered irregularities including noncitizens and deceased individuals listed in voter registration systems.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said a federal review of voter registration databases across the United States has identified tens of thousands of noncitizens listed on voter rolls as well as hundreds of thousands of deceased individuals who were not removed from state election systems.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon disclosed the findings during an interview with Just the News, describing the review as part of a broader federal initiative aimed at examining voter registration records ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
In remarks reported by Just the News, Dhillon said the Justice Department has begun collecting voter roll data from states across the country to evaluate the accuracy of election records.
“It’s really frustrating that we’re being prevented from doing our job,” Dhillon said Tuesday night, criticizing state election offices and federal court rulings that she said have limited the department’s access to voter registration databases.
According to Dhillon, the department has secured cooperation from some states while pursuing legal action against others to obtain the records.
She said 16 states have already provided voter roll data to the Justice Department or entered agreements to share the information. Another 29 states are currently involved in litigation as federal officials seek to compel them to provide their voter registration lists.
“We want every American citizen to feel confident in voting and feel confident in the outcome of that election, and that is why we’re undertaking this massive project,” Dhillon said.
Despite having access to fewer than half of the nation’s election databases so far, Dhillon said the review has already identified several irregularities in voter registration systems.
“We’re finding tens of thousands of noncitizens on the voter rolls, hundreds of thousands of dead people on the voter rolls, and duplicate registrations between states,” she said.
Federal officials have also announced criminal charges in at least one case involving alleged illegal voting.
Earlier this month, the Justice Department said a man from Mauritania who had entered the United States illegally was indicted for allegedly casting ballots in multiple federal elections in Pennsylvania. Authorities said Mahady Sacko was arrested in Philadelphia by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and the FBI.
According to federal officials, Sacko has been charged with voter fraud after investigators alleged he voted in seven federal elections dating back to 2008. U.S. law prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections.
Deputy Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Lauren Bis commented on the case in a statement released by federal officials.
“This criminal illegal alien committed a felony by voting in federal elections dating back to 2008. Illegal aliens should NOT be electing American leaders,” Bis said. “Our elections belong to American citizens, not foreign citizens. Congress must pass the SAVE America Act immediately to secure our elections.”
Dhillon said additional cases involving alleged noncitizen voting have been identified but have not yet moved forward in court.
“For every person that we’ve seen a story about, I know of dozens and dozens more cases, and U.S. attorney’s offices are wanting to bring these cases,” she said. “But we have, of course, interference with the very appointment of these U.S. attorneys at the political level.”
She added that the confirmation process for U.S. attorneys in some jurisdictions has delayed prosecutions.
“So that’s above my pay grade, but it’s really frustrating that we’re being prevented from doing our job,” Dhillon said.
Dhillon also addressed why some states have resisted turning over voter registration databases to federal officials. According to her, some state officials are reluctant to allow federal scrutiny of their election systems.
She said others fear legal challenges from voting-rights organizations if they attempt to remove names from voter rolls.
“You may ask, why don’t states clean it up themselves?” Dhillon said. “Well, sometimes it’s just inefficiency, but more times it’s actually states wanting to clean up their voter rolls, and the Marc Elias’s of the world and even the DOJ (under Biden) are suing them to stop them from cleaning up their own voter rolls.”
“And so, you know, I don’t blame states, in a way, because it’s whiplash,” she added. “You know, suddenly the federal government is saying, ‘Please do your jobs.’ A year ago, they were saying, ‘Don’t do your jobs.’”
The Justice Department’s review of voter rolls is expected to continue as federal officials seek access to additional state databases in the months ahead. The effort is intended to assess voter registration records nationwide prior to upcoming federal elections.
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