The accompanying photo captions show Mullin speaking in the same location, captured by AP photographer Julia Demaree Nikhinson.

The administration’s push comes as Congress has not passed the SAVE America Act, with Democrats showing little momentum to advance it before the midterms.

Mullin warned states could lose funding, face penalties, or be investigated if they do not cooperate with the administration’s election security demands.

DHS Secretary Mullin threatened to withhold federal election aid and pursue criminal penalties against officials who don’t comply with voter roll scrubbing and election-system security efforts ahead of the midterms.

Mullin warned of fines, penalties, and even prison time for noncompliance with the administration’s election security plan.

The report emphasizes a photo-caption style briefing focused on Mullin’s White House remarks rather than broader context.

States like Pennsylvania resist the administration’s demand to turn over voter rolls.

Mullin’s remarks align with Trump’s questioning of the 2020 results, yet the courts and constitutional framework continue to limit federal intrusion into how states administer elections.

Trump has made false claims of widespread 2020 election fraud and sought to centralize election processes, but federal judges and the Justice Department have found no such fraud and several legal efforts have stalled.

Election officials could face fines, penalties, or imprisonment if they fail to act after receiving necessary information to secure elections.

Trump’s ongoing push to label the 2020 election as flawed and to nationalize election security remains contested, with judges and the Constitution limiting federal overreach into state-run elections.

Mullin announced that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency will release an updated election infrastructure plan within about a month, though the agency did not immediately respond for comment.