Markwayne Mullin uses Homeland Security to further Trump’s voter fraud crusade

Mullin Transforms DHS Into Election Fraud Enforcement Agency Under Trump’s Second Term

Goldlaner.com – A routine inquiry from a television journalist sparked a chain of events that exposed deep confusion within state election offices. Last month, a Fox News correspondent reached out to Nevada’s state election office seeking clarification on whether officials had addressed a Department of Homeland Security claim regarding thousands of noncitizens appearing on voter registration lists. The request circulated among staff members, but no one could trace the origin of the assertion. Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar later explained the situation to CNN, noting that officials simply replied they had no idea what the reporter was referring to.

Within seventy-two hours, the mystery was resolved. The federal department revealed that an examination of publicly available voter information had uncovered over 250,000 potential noncitizens registered across four states: Nevada, California, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. This figure represented a dramatic escalation from an earlier claim of approximately 15,000 noncitizens. Election administrators in all four jurisdictions expressed surprise at the announcement. They challenged the conclusions and pointed out that DHS had failed to supply either its analytical methodology or the identities of the supposedly ineligible voters.

“I can’t take something that’s made up out of thin air and try to justify it or defend it,” Aguilar stated. “We operate off of facts, not allegations or anecdotal information.”

The timing proved significant. The announcement arrived alongside a prime-time presidential address in which Donald Trump declared he was releasing previously classified information highlighting weaknesses in the American electoral system. Supporters celebrated the revelations as groundbreaking. However, Republican leaders both publicly and privately questioned the validity of the findings.

A Department Reimagined

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin positioned himself prominently following the president’s remarks. Speaking at a White House press conference, Mullin highlighted his department’s noncitizen discoveries and encouraged additional states to cooperate. He issued a pointed warning about consequences for uncooperative election officials.

“If the election officials – once we gave them the information they need to secure their elections, and they chose not to – then those individuals can also be held accountable by fines, by penalties, and even, depending on how far it goes, prison,” Mullin declared.

Since assuming leadership of DHS in March after Trump dismissed Kristi Noem from the position, Mullin has accelerated the department’s transformation into a primary vehicle for combating what he describes as widespread electoral fraud. The agency has pressured states to provide access to their voter databases for comprehensive audits. Additionally, DHS has committed to withholding financial assistance from jurisdictions that decline to implement expanded election reform measures.

Another key development involves Heather Honey, a researcher aligned with Trump who achieved national prominence for her work challenging the outcomes of the 2020 presidential election. Last year, DHS appointed Honey to direct an “election integrity” initiative. Her influence has expanded considerably under Mullin’s tenure, culminating in her promotion to senior counselor to the secretary in June.

HSI Takes on New Responsibilities

During Trump’s second administration, DHS has shifted substantially from its traditional mission of protecting elections from external threats toward aggressively pursuing voter fraud allegations. The department claims to have identified substantial numbers of noncitizens who are registered and potentially casting ballots, particularly in states governed by Democrats. Federal statutes prohibit noncitizens from voting and from submitting false information during registration.

The administration has dramatically increased its efforts to identify and prosecute such violations through criminal charges and deportation proceedings. Notably, DHS has turned to one of its own investigative bodies for this work: Homeland Security Investigations. This component of Immigration and Customs Enforcement traditionally focuses on serious offenses including human trafficking networks, international drug smuggling operations, and child exploitation cases rather than electoral matters.

“HSI is actively rooting out and investigating election fraud wherever it can be found,” a DHS spokesperson told CNN. “We have repeatedly demonstrated that illegal aliens can and do vote in our elections.”

Internal communications reviewed by CNN reveal that HSI agents have dedicated months to contacting local election administrators nationwide, requesting voter documentation to construct criminal cases. While these inquiries have primarily targeted individual voters, the scope has broadened to include canvassing organizations and even inquiries into previously debunked theories surrounding the 2020 election. The urgency is palpable.

“I wouldn’t normally ask this of you if I was conducting an investigation with my usual methodology and speed, but there’s a bit of pressure on the timeline of things,” one HSI agent informed a county election official in Ohio while requesting records for multiple names.

The agent subsequently acknowledged the unusual nature of the work: “Voter fraud investigations aren’t typically what HSI works.”

Under the current administration, agents have been deployed to examine whether naturalized American citizens registered properly. This represents a significant expansion of investigative priorities for an agency accustomed to handling immigration enforcement and major criminal cases. The implications for election administration across the country could be substantial, as officials navigate increasingly complex relationships with federal investigators who bring different expectations and methodologies to their work.

Meanwhile, Trump’s appeal regarding mail voting procedures continues to test the Supreme Court’s established principles concerning election stability. The combination of federal scrutiny, state-level resistance, and evolving legal challenges creates an uncertain landscape for election administrators who must balance cooperation with federal authorities against maintaining confidence in their own processes. The outcome of these efforts will likely influence how elections are administered not only in the immediate future but potentially for years to come as the department establishes new precedents for voter fraud enforcement.