Mullin claims 250,000 noncitizen voters, experts say count is overstated
Mullin said DHS found over 250,000 noncitizen registrants in four states, but experts say roll-matching errors can inflate that figure.
A preliminary Department of Homeland Security review found over 250,000 non-citizens registered to vote in California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Nevada. Election experts say the figure likely overstates the problem. In a post on X, Mullin wrote that the finding "shouldn't be a red or blue state issue: ONLY Americans should elect American leaders."
The 250,000 figure equals about 0.12% of the 204.6 million Americans registered to vote as of April 2026. It is also smaller than the voter rolls of the states named: Pennsylvania’s May 19 registration statistics listed 8,569,018 registered voters, New Jersey had 6,688,363 registered voters in May, and Nevada’s 2026 registration snapshot showed 2,274,666. California was included in Mullin’s allegation, but no state-by-state number was released alongside it.
Mullin asked the four states to review their voter rolls and warned of possible fines or charges if they did not cooperate. President Donald Trump repeated disputed warnings about noncitizen voting in a prime-time speech. Nevada state officials rejected the claim immediately.
The headline number can be inflated by the way states maintain their lists. Federal law allows only U.S. citizens to vote in federal elections, but registration databases are not a direct count of people who cast ballots. They also include inactive records, duplicates, people who moved, and other entries that can be caught or removed through routine list maintenance. In Nevada, for example, inactive registered voters stay on the rolls for two federal general election cycles, even though they do not receive mail ballots. That kind of status can look suspicious in a crude data match without showing that anyone actually voted illegally.
FactCheck.org warned in March 2026 that the government tool used to identify noncitizen voters had flaws. Only U.S. citizens can vote in federal elections. The Center for Election Innovation & Research examined noncitizen registrant claims and updated its work in July 2026.
A May 12, 2026 Justice Department memorandum gives the Civil Rights Division authority to seek statewide voter lists and share them with DHS to identify ineligible voters.
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