Illinois election board ‘reviewing’ threat of prosecution from DOJ on noncitizen voting

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — The Illinois State Board of Elections said it is “reviewing” a letter it received from the Department of Justice — a letter that is a thinly veiled threat to prosecute them for allegedly allowing noncitizens to vote.

The letter, addressed to Executive Director Bernadette Matthews, comes from the Civil Rights Division of the DOJ. It does not make any specific allegations that noncitizens are registered to vote in Illinois, and it does not allege that Matthews or anyone else is doing something illegal.

Instead, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who signed the letter, said the letter serves as a “notice of federal laws applicable to state and local officials,” citing multiple laws that make only citizens of the United States eligible to vote.

However, Dhillon also mentioned laws that make it a criminal offense for not only noncitizens to register to vote and actually cast a ballot, but also for election officials to “knowingly and willfully” allow it to happen.

“Any election officer, including the chief election officer of the state, who knowingly retains noncitizens on the state’s voter registration list or facilitates noncitizens in receiving and casting ballots could be subject to criminal liability,” Dhillon said. “We encourage you to contact us to discuss what steps your state should take to maintain clean voter lists as required by law. The Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, would like to assist your state in complying with these federal laws.”

The letter appears to be part of the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on what it alleges to be widespread voting by noncitizens. Every other state in the country, plus Washington, D.C., reportedly received similar letters.

The Illinois State Board of Elections confirmed to WCIA that it received the letter and provided a copy but could not comment on it besides to say officials are “reviewing” it.