Secure Voter Rolls or Risk Losing Federal Election Funding

On Friday morning, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced that states failing to maintain accurate voter rolls and implement enhanced election security measures could lose federal election funding. The warning follows President Donald Trump‘s directive that “election security is national security” and is part of a broader effort to strengthen election integrity before the 2026 midterm elections.

Mullin said DHS has identified approximately 250,000 non-citizens registered to vote in California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Nevada. Through cooperation with 23 participating states, DHS has also identified 28,000 non-citizens and approximately 400,000 deceased individuals who remain on voter rolls. He urged all states to join DHS’s SAVE program, which helps verify voter eligibility and remove ineligible registrations.

The secretary also announced that states seeking federal election grants must implement enhanced cybersecurity standards for voting systems. DHS plans to release updated election security guidance within 30 days and will provide participating states with training, technical assistance, and cybersecurity resources.

Calling election integrity a nonpartisan issue, Mullin said DHS will continue auditing voter rolls before and after elections and warned that illegal voter registration and voting will be prosecuted under federal law.

Watch this 30 minute press conference to learn more: