# NJ non-citizen voter registration dispute and legal battles > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/trump-administration-federalfund-leverage-on-states > Updated: 2026-08-19T11:21:16.000Z. Sources: 247. Developments: 19. The dispute over non-citizen voter registrations in New Jersey has expanded into a multi-front investigation involving Congress and state-level legal challenges. While Governor Mikie Sherrill previously attributed the registration of approximately 6,600 non-citizens to a software error at the Motor Vehicle Commission, the vendor IDEMIA continues to dispute this, maintaining that its system correctly transmitted “no” answers regarding citizenship status. Congressional scrutiny has intensified. House Judiciary and Administration Committee Chairmen Jim Jordan and Bryan Steil issued demands for records regarding the registrations and communications with IDEMIA. Following a congressional deadline on August 17, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin expressed interest in collaborating with Governor Sherrill to secure state elections, though specific details of any agreement remain unclear. Recent developments include a temporary outage of the Statewide Voter Registration System (SVRS), which left county offices unable to access records. Additionally, New Jersey Republicans and the Republican National Committee filed a lawsuit challenging the state’s Overseas Residents Absentee Voting Law, arguing it is unconstitutional and contributes to the presence of non-residents on voter rolls. Reports indicate that roughly 400 of the registered non-citizens cast ballots, with some state GOP investigations documenting up to 30 specific cases of non-citizens voting. In response to the controversy, Governor Sherrill has ordered the removal of affected names and expressed support for voter ID measures. ## Claims - A software error at the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission mistakenly registered about 6,600 noncitizens to vote between June 2023 and June 2024. (corroborated by 3 sources) - The Division of Elections will remove 4,500 of the improperly registered noncitizen voter entries. (corroborated by 3 sources) - Around 2,100 registrations will remain under county review because some may belong to citizens. (corroborated by 3 sources) - The MVC mailed letters to all individuals affected by the software error. (corroborated by 3 sources) - The state launched a public FAQ website to provide information about the registration review process. (corroborated by 3 sources) - Governor Sherrill contrasted the state's response with criticism of former President Donald Trump and Republican opponents. (corroborated by 3 sources) - The state aims to protect voting rights of eligible citizens while removing ineligible registrations. (corroborated by 3 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-19: New Jersey officials face pressure over noncitizen voter registration records DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin signaled cooperation with New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill following a deadline to provide records regarding a voter registration scandal involving noncitizens. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/new-jersey-officials-face-pressure-over-noncitizen-voter-registration-records ### 2026-08-17: New Jersey Republicans sue over overseas voting law and noncitizen registration The New Jersey GOP and the RNC are suing to challenge an overseas voting law, amid reports of thousands of noncitizens registered to vote through the state's motor vehicle agency. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/new-jersey-republicans-sue-over-overseas-voting-law-and-noncitizen-registration ### 2026-08-11: New Jersey voter registration controversy prompts Congressional inquiry U.S. lawmakers are demanding records from software vendor IDEMIA following reports that 6,600 noncitizens were registered to vote in New Jersey, despite the vendor disputing claims of a software error. 7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/new-jersey-voter-registration-controversy-prompts-congressional-inquiry ### 2026-08-04: New Jersey Voter Registration System Hits Errors and Outage New Jersey's voter registration system went offline on Monday amid an unexplained outage, following earlier reports of a glitch that mistakenly added non‑citizens, including a claim about Moroccan migrants, to 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/new-jersey-voter-registration-system-hits-errors-and-outage ### 2026-08-02: New Jersey Noncitizen Voter Registration Error Triggers Congressional Probe New Jersey’s automatic voter registration added ~6,600 non‑citizens (≈400 voted). Gov. Sherrill blames a software error; IDEMIA disputes. Congressional leaders demand records, prompting a probe. 9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/new-jersey-provides-legal-aid-to-noncitizens-improperly-registered-to-vote ### 2026-07-31: New Jersey Governor Reports 6,600 Non‑Citizens Registered to Vote New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill says a software error registered 6,600 non‑citizens, 400 voted illegally; she refused DOJ name requests, prompting calls for the SAVE Act. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/new-jersey-governor-reports-6600-noncitizens-registered-to-vote ### 2026-07-30: U.S. House Calls for Classified Briefings on Noncitizen Voter Registrations DHS data shows ~278,000 non‑citizens registered to vote; the House seeks a classified briefing on the issue and alleged Chinese hacks, while Judicial Watch reports 6,531 non‑citizen removals in Virginia. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-house-calls-for-classified-briefings-on-noncitizen-voter-registrations ### 2026-07-28: New Jersey Governor Sherrill Rejects DOJ Request for Noncitizen Voter Data Amid Legal Clash NJ’s Gov. Mikie Sherrill refused DOJ demand for non‑citizen voter data after a software glitch registered ~6,600 people, 400 of whom voted; a federal judge dismissed the DOJ’s lawsuit, and the state is removing 19 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/new-jersey-removes-4500-noncitizen-voter-registrations-after-mvc-software-error ### 2026-07-26: New Jersey noncitizen voter registration probe intensifies The DOJ is investigating New Jersey after a software error added thousands of noncitizens to voter rolls, with Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon calling the matter “very serious.” 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/new-jersey-noncitizen-voter-registration-probe-intensifies ### 2026-07-24: New Jersey Voter‑Roll Glitch Registers 6,600 Noncitizens, Fewer Than 400 Vote A NJ software error added ~6,600 non‑citizens to voter rolls; under 400 voted, no election impact. Gov. Sherrill orders probe, vendor IDEMIA disputes blame, sparking DOJ/DHS inquiries and political debate over 22 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/new-jersey-governor-mikie-sherrill-blames-idemia-for-noncitizen-voter-registrations ### 2026-07-23: U.S. Homeland Security reports 278,000 non‑citizens on voter rolls Homeland Security reports 278,000 non‑citizens on U.S. voter rolls, citing letters to states and declassified emails about prior Chinese ballot interference. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-homeland-security-reports-278000-noncitizens-on-voter-rolls ### 2026-07-22: New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill says software error added 6,600 noncitizens to voter rolls A NJ software error registered about 6,600 noncitizens to vote; under 400 voted. The state is removing the entries, replacing vendor IDEMIA, and facing a DOJ probe as Republicans push the SAVE America Act. 51 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/new-jersey-governor-flags-voterregistration-software-glitch-affecting-6600-noncitizens ### 2026-07-20: DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin warns states of penalties for illegal voting and election fraud DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin urged states to tighten election security, threatening funding cuts and severe penalties for illegal voters, amid criticism of aggressive ICE deportation actions. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/dhs-secretary-markwayne-mullin-warns-states-of-penalties-for-illegal-voting-and-election-fraud ### 2026-07-20: New Jersey glitch registers 6,600 noncitizens to vote New Jersey governor says a software glitch added about 6,600 non‑citizens to voter rolls; under 400 voted. State will purge the rolls, investigate and replace the vendor. 63 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-dhs-warns-four-states-of-hundreds-of-thousands-of-alleged-noncitizen-voter-registrations ### 2026-07-17: Homeland Security Secretary Mullin says 250,000 non‑citizens on voter rolls in four states DHS Secretary Mullin claims 250,000 non‑citizens are registered to vote in four states, urges roll purges and threatens funding cuts; states and experts dispute the figures and the underlying methodology. 97 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-dhs-sec-markwayne-mullin-urges-voter-roll-checks-in-four-states ### 2026-07-08: FEMA withholds antiterrorism funds from states over election compliance FEMA will withhold 20% of antiterrorism grants from states that don’t meet Trump‑admin election rules, prompting criticism from governors and legal challenges. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/fema-withholds-antiterrorism-funds-from-states-over-election-compliance ### 2026-07-07: Trump administration threatens states with funding cuts and criminal prosecution over non‑citizen voting DOJ letters warn all state election officials they could be criminally prosecuted for allowing non‑citizens to vote; FEMA ties anti‑terrorism grant funding to election‑security changes, prompting pushback from 17 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-justice-department-threatens-election-officials-over-noncitizen-voting-claims ### 2026-06-22: Trump threatens to cut DHS disaster grants unless states adopt election reforms Trump may withhold up to 20% of DHS disaster grants to force states to switch to paper ballots and use a federal citizenship database, after GOP election reforms stalled in Congress. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/trump-threatens-to-cut-dhs-disaster-grants-unless-states-adopt-election-reforms ### 2026-06-22: Trump administration threatens to withhold DHS funds to force election changes The Trump administration is threatening to cut tens of millions of DHS grant dollars to states that do not adopt its election‑integrity measures, including hand‑marked paper ballots, manual audits and voter‑run 8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/trump-administration-threatens-to-withhold-dhs-funds-to-force-state-election-changes --- Cite as: NJ non-citizen voter registration dispute and legal battles. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/trump-administration-federalfund-leverage-on-states