Nevada Challenges DHS’s 185 Noncitizen Voter Matches

Nevada officials told the Department of Homeland Security that state records indicated all 185 people DHS identified as confirmed noncitizens were citizens, while saying the federal agency had not provided enough identifying information to verify that both sides were examining the same individuals. Deputy Attorney General Greg Ott conveyed the state’s assessment in a message to DHS this week. He wrote that Nevada’s records indicated the 185 people were citizens and that DHS had provided nothing substantive to show otherwise. The state’s assessment is based on its own records; the available information does not independently establish the identity or citizenship status of the people in DHS’s group. The dispute follows DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin’s July announcement that as many as 15,903 potential noncitizens appeared on Nevada’s voter rolls. At an August meeting with state officials, DHS official Kimberley Vogt acknowledged the original figure had not undergone a full manual review. In a later email, she said DHS had manually reviewed some of the 15,903 names and identified 185 as noncitizens, while clarifying that the 15,903 figure had not been reduced to 185.