DOJ spokespersons described the letters as urging voluntary compliance with federal law to ensure only citizens vote in federal elections.

Authored by Harmeet K. Dhillon, the letters invite states to confirm within five days how they will comply with federal laws and how the DOJ can assist in maintaining accurate voter rolls.

The move unfolds amid ongoing political debate over the SAVE America Act, which would require citizenship proofs or IDs to vote, though the proposal has faced bipartisan resistance.

The action follows a pattern of recent DOJ efforts and lawsuits seeking nonpublic voter data, which have faced court setbacks for the administration.

Despite studies suggesting noncitizen voting is statistically rare, the administration has prioritized cracking down on such voting.

Nevada officials defended existing safeguards and described the letters as an attempt to sow doubt ahead of the midterms.

Earlier, Philadelphia’s motor-voter system reforms, including fixes to a registration glitch, were highlighted as evidence of ongoing improvements in election integrity.

The Justice Department sent letters to election officials in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., warning that noncitizen voting could lead to criminal prosecution and gave five days to explain how they will comply with federal voter eligibility laws and maintain clean voter rolls.

The letters continue a years-long back-and-forth over voter data access and election oversight, with past attempts to broaden federal control facing legal resistance.

They reflect a broader federal push to influence elections, which are run by state and local authorities, amid disputes over access to voter data and federal versus state control.

Separately, DHS announced the arrest of an Australian national in Louisiana charged with illegally casting ballots in two elections, underscoring enforcement against noncitizen voting.

Harmeet Dhillon framed safeguarding voting integrity as a civil rights issue, stressing that even a single illegal vote can affect others.