DOJ targets noncitizens on voter rolls as part of Trump election integrity push

The DOJ's Civil Rights Division is largely leading the effort, which has involved seeking information from states about their election practices and voter registration lists, sometimes known as "voter rolls," and placing an emphasis on identifying any noncitizens on them. 

"Election integrity starts with clean voter rolls. That's the foundation for secure elections," a DOJ source told Fox News. "There's been a culture of noncompliance from several states that don't keep their roles updated. This DOJ is cracking down." 

The department sent more unusual demand letters to numerous local election offices in California, asking for extensive personal data about any noncitizens who ended up on voter registration lists.

The flurry of activity stems from an executive order Trump signed in March tasking the attorney general with coordinating with states on election integrity, which has been a top priority for him since his 2020 election loss. Trump ordered the DOJ to review how states manage their voter registration lists, enter into information-sharing agreements with the states, aid states with prosecuting election-related crimes, and punish uncooperative states where possible.

Several Democrat-led states sued over the order, and a federal judge in Massachusetts temporarily blocked parts of it, saying "the Constitution does not grant the President any specific powers over elections." The DOJ is appealing the ruling.

"These efforts, made under the guise of combating fraud, will disproportionately endanger voters of color, low-income communities, and active-duty military personnel," Durbin said.

Trump has frequently voiced his grievances about voter fraud, saying it is widespread and that illegal immigrants are voting, but there is scant evidence to support those claims.