DHS Pushing Voter Fraud Probes in 9 States Before Midterms

The Department of Homeland Security is preparing to launch a new surge of voter-fraud investigations in nine states beginning Tuesday, according to internal federal guidance reviewed by CNN, as the Trump administration intensifies its election-integrity efforts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

The initiative will be carried out by Homeland Security Investigations, the arm of Immigration and Customs Enforcement that typically handles drug smuggling, human trafficking, and child exploitation.

HSI offices in Washington state, Wisconsin, Missouri, Georgia, California, Pennsylvania, Nevada, New York, and Connecticut are expected to take investigative action from early September through mid-October, according to the guidance reviewed by CNN.

 

The guidance describes the effort as a "coordinated criminal voter fraud surge initiative" designed to pursue investigative leads, conduct field interviews, and support timely prosecutorial review, CNN reported Monday.

The move expands an effort by Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to make DHS a central force in President Donald Trump's push to identify and prosecute suspected election fraud.

DHS has also sought access to state voter rolls for federal audits and has pressed states to cooperate with broader election-related reforms.

The administration argues that stronger verification of voter eligibility is needed to protect election integrity and ensure that only eligible citizens participate in federal elections.

The new investigative push comes as the November elections approach, making its timing particularly significant.

CNN reported that Justice Department policy has historically discouraged overt investigative actions close to an election when they could affect voting, political campaigns, or the handling of election disputes.

DHS, however, is a separate department from the Justice Department and is not directly bound by DOJ investigative policies.

The new DHS guidance makes no reference to concerns about the timing of the investigations, according to CNN.

The administration has already devoted substantial resources to investigating potential noncitizen voting.

CNN previously reported that HSI agents have been assigned to investigate whether naturalized U.S. citizens registered or voted before becoming citizens.

Another federal directive instructed HSI agents to coordinate with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in cases involving suspected noncitizen voter fraud, including potential immigration consequences, according to CNN.

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