President Donald Trump said the Department of Homeland Security found roughly 278,000 [1] non-citizens registered to vote in federal elections.
The announcement comes as the administration seeks to implement stricter voting laws to address perceived vulnerabilities in the national election system.
Speaking during a primetime election-integrity speech from the White House on Thursday, July 16, 2024, Trump said the findings highlight a major weakness in how voters are registered. He used the data to advocate for the passage of the SAVE Act, a piece of legislation designed to increase verification requirements for voter registration.
"The Department of Homeland Security found 278,000 non-citizens registered to vote in federal elections," Trump said.
A draft press release from the Department of Homeland Security indicated that these non-citizens were registered in California, Nevada, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania [3]. The administration argues that these registrations represent a threat to the integrity of the democratic process.
Trump tied the necessity of the new legislation to the prevention of electoral fraud. "Unless you want to cheat, we need to pass the SAVE Act to protect our elections," Trump said.
There has been some variation in the reporting of these figures. While some reports cited 278,000 [1] registrations, other reports indicated the DHS found "thousands" [2] of non-citizens on voter rolls. The administration has maintained the higher figure during its public push for the SAVE Act.
“"The Department of Homeland Security found 278,000 non-citizens registered to vote in federal elections."”
The use of DHS data to support the SAVE Act marks a strategic shift toward federalizing the verification of voter eligibility. By focusing on specific states like California and Pennsylvania, the administration is highlighting vulnerabilities in jurisdictions with high immigrant populations to build momentum for national legislative changes.
