The Justice Department issued warning letters to election officials in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., threatening criminal prosecution if they fail to prevent noncitizens from voting in federal elections, marking an aggressive expansion of federal control over state election administration.

Criminal Prosecution Warning Issued

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, head of the Civil Rights Division, signed letters demanding state election officials explain within five days how they will comply with federal voter eligibility laws and maintain accurate voter registration lists. The correspondence explicitly states that election officers could face criminal charges for “aiding and abetting” noncitizen voting. Any official who knowingly keeps noncitizens on voter rolls or helps them receive and cast ballots could be subject to prosecution under the department’s interpretation.

The letters go further by warning that “an intentional act that is aimed at diluting the votes of citizens could also constitute a violation” of federal law. A Justice Department spokesperson confirmed the nationwide campaign, describing it as a request for “voluntary compliance in a timely manner” with federal obligations to ensure only citizens vote in federal elections.

State Officials Push Back Hard

Utah Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson condemned the letters as “truly bizarre behavior” on social media. She revealed receiving multiple communications from the Justice Department “sprinkled throughout with threats of criminal prosecution” while maintaining she is “following state and federal laws by resisting DOJ’s demands for private voter data.” Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar confirmed they also received the threatening correspondence from the department.

Henderson emphasized she is not alone, noting that other chief election officers are being targeted despite adhering to lawful procedures. The conflict centers on the Justice Department’s demands for comprehensive voter roll data, which Henderson says have been ruled illegal by at least a dozen courts.

Escalating Federal Control Battle

The warning letters represent the latest escalation in the administration’s campaign to assert federal authority over state election systems. The Justice Department has already filed lawsuits against 30 states and Washington, D.C., for refusing to hand over voter roll data. So far, 11 different federal courts have dismissed these efforts to seize voter registration information. While some states have complied with the data demands, most have resisted what they view as federal overreach into state election management. Noncitizen voting in federal elections remains extremely rare according to research, though the administration has characterized it as a widespread problem requiring aggressive federal intervention and expanded oversight authority.