Chicago – September 09, 2025
The U.S. Justice Department is weighing a plan to transfer sensitive voter roll data collected from states to Homeland Security Investigations for potential use in criminal and immigration probes, according to internal documents reviewed by Reuters.
The data—gathered from at least 22 states in recent months by the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division—would be cross-checked against federal law enforcement databases as part of ongoing investigations.
The initiative has provoked concerns among state officials and legal experts about voter privacy. Several states have declined the DOJ’s requests, questioning the legal justification and breadth of the data sought, which includes personal details such as birth dates and partial Social Security numbers. Legal analysts warn that sharing this information could violate privacy assurances previously given by federal authorities to the states.
A Justice Department spokesperson stated that the effort is intended to ensure only eligible individuals appear on voting rolls, in line with federal statutes. However, the move marks a notable shift toward incorporating voter data into broader criminal investigations, intensifying debates over election integrity and civil liberties
