WASHINGTON, Sept 23: The Donald Trump administration has intensified federal investigations and criminal prosecutions involving non-US citizens accused of illegally registering to vote or casting ballots in US elections, making election-related cases a major enforcement priority ahead of the November midterms.
The US Department of Justice has filed charges against dozens of people in recent weeks under federal laws covering illegal voting by noncitizens and related election offences. A Reuters review found that about 20 such cases were brought this month, accounting for a significant share of federal prosecutions under the statute since it was enacted about three decades ago.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, has also expanded its involvement. An HSI official said the agency has around 1,600 open investigations connected to noncitizen voting.
The Justice Department has described the enforcement effort as a high priority for Attorney General Todd Blanche and the White House. Federal officials have indicated that prosecutions could increase as the November 3 midterm elections draw closer.
The latest cases allege that individuals knowingly registered to vote or cast ballots despite not being US citizens. The DOJ said its recent cases include allegations involving illegal voting, false claims of citizenship and related offences. Several defendants are lawful permanent residents, according to individual case records.
The administration has used the prosecutions to highlight its concerns about election integrity and noncitizen participation in federal elections. Trump and his allies have argued for stricter voting requirements, while critics contend that the emphasis on noncitizen voting could affect public confidence in elections.
The number of cases remains small compared with the tens of millions of ballots cast in federal elections. A separate Reuters review found that more than 30,000 people who had identified themselves as noncitizens may have been added to voter rolls since 2000 because of administrative mistakes and software-related problems during driver’s licence and state ID processing.
The Justice Department said it charged 16 people in a September 18 announcement involving alleged illegal voting, unlawful voter registration and related election offences across several states. The department stressed that criminal complaints and indictments contain allegations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The expanded enforcement effort has also raised questions about prosecutorial decision-making. According to Reuters, a senior Justice Department official told federal prosecutors that the department’s leadership would have a role in resolving disagreements over whether election-fraud cases should proceed.
The administration maintains that stronger enforcement is necessary to protect the integrity of federal elections. Critics, however, argue that the focus could contribute to concerns over voting access and public trust as Americans prepare to vote in the midterms.