The U.S. Department of Justice has demanded full, unredacted voter rolls, including driver's license and partial Social Security numbers, from nearly all states and the District of Columbia since May 2025. When most states refused, the DOJ filed lawsuits against 30 states and the District of Columbia. For those that complied, the DOJ shared the data with the Department of Homeland Security, reportedly to identify noncitizens on voter rolls.
This action follows a period of escalating pressure. In July, shortly after former President Donald Trump made unsubstantiated claims of noncitizen voting and called for states to change election policies, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin reportedly threatened state election officials with prison time if they did not comply with Trump's demands. Critics argue that these actions, framed as fraud prevention measures, contribute to mistrust in electoral systems and are part of a broader effort to sow fear about immigrants.
One such initiative, the SAVE Act, is described by Kica Matos as "the equivalent of a four-alarm fire for our democracy," when framed as a fraud-prevention measure.