DOJ Expands Voter Data Requests, Faces State Pushback

The U.S. Department of Justice under President Donald Trump has intensified efforts to collect voter registration and election data from at least 15 states, including both Democratic and Republican-led jurisdictions. States such as Utah, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin have resisted or limited compliance with the DOJ's requests, citing legal and privacy concerns. The DOJ's campaign is part of a broader push to investigate alleged voter fraud and noncitizen voting, though such incidents remain statistically rare. Critics argue that the DOJ's approach, marked as a potential 'fishing expedition,' represents an unprecedented shift from its traditional focus on protecting voting rights to direct involvement in election administration. These developments come amid continued false claims by Trump about the 2020 election and efforts to influence future elections and redistricting. The increased federal scrutiny has added complexity to ongoing debates about election integrity and public trust.