Department of Homeland Security

Homeland Security Agents Are Harassing American Voters of Foreign Origin

A campaign against noncitizen voter fraud is sweeping up U.S. citizens. California counties are suing to stop it.

Matthew Petti | 9.24.2026 3:13 PM

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is running a program that "harasses and coerces American citizens exercising the fundamental right to vote," according to a lawsuit filed last week by several institutions in California.

The Unlawful Voter Initiative is a program by the Trump administration to hunt down noncitizens illegally voting in U.S. elections. Earlier this month, Sens. Chuck Schumer (D–N.Y.) and Alex Padilla (D–Calif.) published evidence from an unnamed whistleblower showing that the initiative is "knowingly sweeping known U.S. citizens" for investigation and possible interrogation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents.

A transcript of a training video states that DHS is cross-referencing U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services........

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