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An estimate from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on the number of noncitizen residents registered to vote in Nevada has dropped from an initial claim of nearly 16,000, down to 185, and eventually to zero, just weeks after President Donald Trump cited the claim during a campaign rally in a push to purge several states’ voter rolls.

DHS officials initially informed Nevada election officials that they had reason to believe that 15,903 noncitizens were registered to vote in the Silver State. But last month, department officials acknowledged that number was overblown, while maintaining that 185 noncitizen residents could potentially vote.

Nevada investigated those names and found that none of them were noncitizens.

“As for the 185 individuals, our records indicate that they were citizens. You have provided nothing of substance to suggest otherwise,” Nevada Deputy Attorney General Greg Ott wrote in a letter to DHS.

In a statement regarding the department’s claims, Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar called out DHS for its error, and for continuing to push similar false claims elsewhere.

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“Our records do not support DHS’s claims, and DHS has still not provided evidence to change that. Instead, DHS officials continue their attempts to intimidate election officials into compliance and deter voters with huge........

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