{"id":899,"date":"2026-07-08T11:07:58","date_gmt":"2026-07-08T11:07:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/urbaneconomynews.com\/?p=899"},"modified":"2026-07-08T11:07:58","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T11:07:58","slug":"doj-warns-states-of-potential-criminal-penalties-over-noncitizen-voting-enforcement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/urbaneconomynews.com\/?p=899","title":{"rendered":"DOJ Warns States of Potential Criminal Penalties Over Noncitizen Voting Enforcement"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p>The Justice Department is warning state election officials that they could face criminal penalties if they fail to carry out their responsibilities under federal election law, including measures designed to prevent noncitizens from voting in federal elections.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/urbaneconomynews.com\/?p=897\">Trump Administration Reinstates Iran Oil Sanctions After Strait of Hormuz Attacks<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon sent letters to election officials in at least six states, including Arizona, Colorado and Nevada, reminding them of the department\u2019s enforcement authority, according to letters obtained by ABC News.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn addition to the Civil Rights Division\u2019s authority to seek injunctive relief for violations of these laws, we are also authorized to prosecute criminal violations,\u201d Dhillon wrote.<\/p>\n<p>The letters state that federal law requires state and local election officials to maintain election records and take steps to ensure that only eligible U.S. citizens cast ballots in federal elections.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFederal law mandates that state and local election officials properly maintain election records and undertake certain actions to ensure that only eligible U.S. citizens cast votes in elections for federal office,\u201d the letters said.<\/p>\n<p>The Justice Department also requested that states respond within five days outlining how they intend to comply with the applicable federal laws.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/urbaneconomynews.com\/?p=896\">Judge Rules Trump\u2019s J6 Pardons Do Not Cover Pipe Bomb Defendant<\/a><\/p>\n<p>According to ABC News, one state election official who received the letter described its tone as \u201cthreatening.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Trump administration has made preventing noncitizen voting a priority as it seeks to strengthen federal oversight of elections ahead of the midterm elections.<\/p>\n<p>Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar defended his state\u2019s election safeguards, saying existing protections already prevent ineligible individuals from casting ballots.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are already numerous safeguards in place to prevent noncitizens, or anyone ineligible to vote, from casting a ballot,\u201d Aguilar said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>Aguilar criticized the Justice Department\u2019s request, saying, \u201cThis new request may seem straightforward, but it\u2019s just another attempt from the Trump Administration to create doubt surrounding our elections just ahead of the midterms.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/urbaneconomynews.com\/?p=894\">Morning Greatness: Trump Says He\u2019ll Consider Giving Turkey F-35 Jet<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Justice Department is warning state election officials that they could face criminal penalties if they fail to carry out their responsibilities under\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":898,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-899","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - 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