Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers obtained individual voter files in Texas and North Carolina as part of efforts to identify illegal immigrant voting. Voter files from Webb County and Forsyth County were shared with Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents, according to emails obtained through records requests by Democracy Forward and reported by Axios. This initiative is linked to the stalled SAVE Act, which would mandate proof of citizenship for voter registration in federal elections.
An HSI analyst contacted the Texas Secretary of State in April for information on voter registration and elections. Following further communication, officers received voter files from Webb County election officials. Webb County Election Administrator Jose Castillo stated this was the first such request he had received, noting he had seen only two instances of illegal immigrant voting among over 150,000 voters in four years.
The report indicates that ICE expanded its investigations into alleged illegal immigrant voting last fall. Ahead of the midterm elections, DHS directed ICE to enforce stricter penalties, including deportation, for illegal immigrants accused of voting. A recent case involved an illegal immigrant arrested in Philadelphia for voting in multiple elections since 2008.
A DHS spokesperson stated that HSI is committed to investigating election fraud and ensuring that only American citizens are voting. The Heritage Foundation's database shows 100 documented cases of illegal immigrants voting from 1982 to 2025, with a study suggesting that between 10% to 27% of illegal immigrants in the U.S. may be registered to vote. The report also references an executive order from March 2025 aimed at preserving election integrity, which includes enforcing citizenship requirements for federal elections. DHS and Democracy Forward did not respond to requests for comment.