Trump administration threatens states with criminal charges in elections fight

The Trump administration's Justice Department sent letters to all 50 states and Washington D.C. threatening criminal charges against election officials who fail to remove noncitizens from voter rolls, escalating federal efforts to control state-run elections. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon stated officials could face prosecution for "knowingly retaining noncitizens" or facilitating their voting, demanding state responses within five days. The administration has repeatedly claimed without evidence that large numbers of noncitizens are voting in U.S. elections; states have previously refused federal demands for voter data, with courts ruling such requests illegal.

Republican and Democratic state election officials criticized the letters as threatening and overreaching, with Utah's elections chief calling it "truly bizarre behavior" by a civil rights agency. The escalation continues a dispute over election administration authority, traditionally held by states and localities, as the Trump administration seeks greater federal control over voting systems nationwide.