Did DHS direct officers to misrepresent themselves to search state voter records?
A whistleblower alleges DHS officers were told to misrepresent themselves on state voter portals. Released training permits searches but does not show that instruction. Secretary Mullin denies it.
Case period:
Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
This case concerns the alleged direction to use false attestations when searching restricted state voter portals as part of DHS's Unlawful Voter Initiative. It does not assess the broader authority to investigate noncitizen voting, the accuracy of resulting federal records, or separate litigation over the SAVE system.
The September 14 public packet includes a whistleblower disclosure, screenshots of state-site guidance and portal language, and excerpts of USCIS training. The training says officers may search listed state websites. The published excerpt does not say officers should claim to be voters or authorized representatives when they are not. That direction and any completed false attestations remain allegations in the whistleblower's account.
Padilla called for DHS to halt the activity and investigate the allegations. Asked about the claim on September 18, Secretary Mullin said it was not the directive DHS had issued and said the department would fix the problem if it proved true. Portal access logs and complete legal guidance would help establish what officers were told and what they did. No resulting harm to an eligible voter is established by the released packet.
People in this case
Markwayne MullinDirectly involved
Alex PadillaDirectly involved
Timeline
2 timeline entries on this page. Dates: September 14, 2026 to September 18, 2026
September 2026
2 events
Senators release whistleblower disclosure on voter-record searches
Source release
Padilla and Schumer make public a whistleblower disclosure alleging that DHS personnel were told to use state voter portals under false attestations. The packet includes portal guidance and training excerpts, but no reproduced instruction to make a false attestation.
[01]Senate letter and whistleblower disclosure on DHS's Unlawful Voter Initiative
The published packet contains senators' allegations, a whistleblower's account, screenshots of state voter portals, and excerpts from USCIS training. The reproduced training says officers may search listed sites; it does not explicitly instruct them to make a false voter attestation.
Senate letter and whistleblower disclosure on DHS's Unlawful Voter InitiativeSenators' letter, pp. 1-6; September 8 disclosure, pp. 7 onward; state-portal and training excerpts, pp. 15-23.Mullin denies DHS issued the alleged directive
Reaction
Asked on CNN whether officers were told to pose as voters, Secretary Mullin says that was not DHS's directive and that the department would fix the problem if the allegation proved true.
[02]Inside Politics transcript: Markwayne Mullin responds to voter-portal allegation
Bash asked Secretary Mullin whether DHS officers were told to misrepresent themselves to obtain voter records. Mullin denied that this was a DHS directive and said the department would fix the problem if it were true. CNN marks this as a rush transcript.
Inside Politics transcript: Markwayne Mullin responds to voter-portal allegationDana Bash question about alleged voter impersonation; Mullin response at about 12:35 p.m.
Response record
Responses
Latest recorded positions: 5. Dates: September 14, 2026 to September 25, 2026
Choose one response filter, or select All responses to see the full record.
1 response on this page
Markwayne MullinDirectly involved"That's absolutely not the directive that we put out there, and it's not even close to what we're doing."
Open the original interview (opens in a new tab)Inside Politics transcript: Markwayne Mullin responds to voter-portal allegationDana Bash question about alleged voter impersonation; Mullin response at about 12:35 p.m.DeniedCase context: Did DHS direct officers to misrepresent themselves to search state voter records?
Read more
Asked whether DHS officers were told to pose as voters to obtain records, Mullin denies that the department issued such a directive and says it would fix the problem if the allegation proved true.
Role at the time: Secretary of Homeland Security
Before the statement
Dana Bash asked Mullin about the whistleblower's allegation that officers had been told to misrepresent themselves to obtain sensitive voter records.
After the statement
Mullin said he had not seen the whistleblower's materials, maintained that DHS was enforcing election and immigration law, and said it would fix the problem if true.
Inside Politics transcript: Markwayne Mullin responds to voter-portal allegationDana Bash question about alleged voter impersonation; Mullin response at about 12:35 p.m.Why this label?
Mullin explicitly denies that DHS directed officers to misrepresent themselves on voter portals. He says the department would correct such conduct if it occurred.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Sources
(6)
Original text
Senate letter and whistleblower disclosure on DHS's Unlawful Voter Initiative
Relevant passage: Senators' letter, pp. 1-6; September 8 disclosure, pp. 7 onward; state-portal and training excerpts, pp. 15-23.
About this source
The published packet contains senators' allegations, a whistleblower's account, screenshots of state voter portals, and excerpts from USCIS training. The reproduced training says officers may search listed sites; it does not explicitly instruct them to make a false voter attestation.
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Senators' letter to DHS Secretary Mullin on election activities, September 25, 2026
Relevant passage: Pages 3-4, paragraphs on the Unlawful Voter Initiative and signatories
About this source
Signed letter to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, dated September 25 and posted September 28. It describes allegations that staff were told to impersonate voters and demands records and an end to the initiative.
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Virginia attorney general's roundup quoting his DHS voter-data letter
Relevant passage: Fighting Federal Overreach section, New York Times and Associated Press excerpts
About this source
Jones's office reproduces reporting that quotes his September 17 letter to DHS and confirms its authenticity. The letter says false voter-portal certifications may violate Virginia law and asks DHS whether its staff accessed protected records without authorization.
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Schumer's Senate floor remarks on the DHS voter-data allegation
Relevant passage: Floor remarks, paragraphs beginning 'Apparently, agents' and 'Donald: end this illegal initiative'
About this source
Schumer describes a whistleblower's allegation that officers were directed to lie to access voter information, condemns the alleged practice, and demands an end to the initiative.
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Alex Padilla's September 14 remarks on DHS's Unlawful Voter Initiative
Relevant passage: Senate floor remarks concerning voter-portal attestations and call to halt the initiative.
About this source
Padilla publicly recounted the whistleblower's allegations that officers were told to misrepresent themselves on voter sites. He called for the initiative to stop and for DHS to disclose its practices. His remarks are allegations and criticism, not independent proof of completed false attestations.
- Published
- Accessed
Interview
Inside Politics transcript: Markwayne Mullin responds to voter-portal allegation
Relevant passage: Dana Bash question about alleged voter impersonation; Mullin response at about 12:35 p.m.
About this source
Bash asked Secretary Mullin whether DHS officers were told to misrepresent themselves to obtain voter records. Mullin denied that this was a DHS directive and said the department would fix the problem if it were true. CNN marks this as a rush transcript.
- Published
- Accessed