Trenton, NJ — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is claiming that a preliminary review of New Jersey’s voter registration database identified as many as 35,152 registered voters who may be non-citizens, adding new attention to an ongoing legal dispute between the federal government and New Jersey over access to voter registration records.
In a July 16 letter to New Jersey Secretary of State Dr. Dale G. Caldwell, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the findings were based on a comparison of the state’s publicly available voter registration information with federal immigration records. The letter describes the findings as preliminary and asks New Jersey to work with DHS to verify the identities of those identified before any action is taken.
DHS requests identity verification
According to the letter, DHS identified 19,497 New Jersey voter registrations where the individual’s name, date of birth, address, and Social Security number matched records indicating the person is a non-citizen. The department said its broader review suggests there could be as many as 35,152 potential matches requiring additional verification.
“The most efficient way to ensure the accuracy of our findings is to work collaboratively on identity verification,” Mullin wrote.
The secretary also offered to provide immigration records under federal law to assist state officials in determining whether any registrants are ineligible to vote.
Driver’s licenses and voter registration process
The issue comes as New Jersey allows residents, including many immigrants who cannot prove lawful immigration status, to obtain a standard driver’s license under a law that took effect in 2021. That law expanded access to driving privileges but did not change the state’s voter eligibility requirements.
New Jersey also participates in an automatic voter registration program through the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Under that system, applicants conducting certain MVC transactions are offered voter registration, but only those who attest under penalty of law that they are U.S. citizens and otherwise eligible are permitted to register. Non-citizens are not legally eligible to register or vote in federal or state elections.
The DHS letter does not identify the cause of the potential matches or explain whether they resulted from registration errors, outdated immigration records, data mismatches, or other circumstances. Instead, the agency says additional identity verification is necessary.
Legal dispute continues
The letter arrives as New Jersey continues a legal battle with the federal government over requests for voter registration records and election-related information. Federal officials have argued the records are needed to verify voter eligibility, while state officials have challenged aspects of those requests in court.
“I hope that you share in the commitment to ensure that only U.S. citizens participate in our federal elections,” Mullin wrote. “Working together, we can more effectively protect U.S. elections.”
DHS asked New Jersey officials to contact the department by July 30 to begin the verification process.
At the time of the letter, New Jersey officials had not publicly responded to the DHS findings.
Photo: Rendering of voters in Hudson Co., NJ – GPT
