President Donald Trump’s Justice Department is demanding records from Minnesota related to its voter registration practices, raising concerns about the state’s same-day “vouching” policy.

The policy allows a registered voter to “vouch” for up to eight people seeking same-day registration, and it has come under fresh scrutiny amid broader concerns about election integrity in the wake of Minnesota’s massive welfare fraud scandal.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon wrote to Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon on Friday, requesting unredacted records covering the March 2024 primary and the November 2024 general election.

Dhillon called on the state to hand over digital records related to same-day registrations, votes cast by same-day registrants and audit and compliance records under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA).

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“The basis and purpose of this demand is to ensure Minnesota’s registration and voting practices are in compliance with federal law, particularly the minimum requirements under HAVA,” Dhillon wrote in the letter she shared on X.

“The Department of Justice is particularly concerned with votes and registrations accepted on the basis of ‘vouching’ from other registered voters or residential facility employees, as well as other same-day registration procedures.”

Minnesota’s election system has drawn scrutiny after legislation signed by Gov. Tim Walz in 2023 that provided for “Driver’s Licenses for All,” allowing state-issued licenses regardless of immigration status. The policy also stipulates that the licenses carry no markings indicating citizenship, even though such IDs are among the forms of identification accepted during voter registration.

Minnesota law separately allows same-day voter registration through a process known as “vouching,” under which a registered voter can attest to the residency of up to eight other voters who want to register on Election Day and do not present qualifying identification.

According to an official fact sheet from the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office, the registered voter must accompany the person or people to the polling place and sign an oath verifying a home address.

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“A registered voter can vouch for up to eight voters. You cannot vouch for others if someone vouched for you,” the department said in the fact sheet.

Residents who are not vouched for and who want to vote on the same day must provide at least one form of identity verification, including a valid Minnesota driver’s license or learner’s permit, a receipt for either or a tribal identification card that includes a photo and signature.

So long as the prospective voter can prove residency, the proof of ID can include a driver’s license or learner’s permit from any state, a passport, an expired ID, a military ID or a Minnesota college or high school identification card.

If a person is registered to vote in a precinct but changed his name or moved within the precinct, the voter may still vote after informing the precinct election judge of a previous name or address.

Simon’s office did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.

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Dhillon’s move was praised by Republican activist Scott Presler, who leads voter registration efforts nationwide.

“WOW! This is huge. Thank you so, so much,” Presler wrote in response to Dhillon’s X post sharing her letter.

DETROIT (WXYZ) — Desmond Burks’ murder trial starts this week. On Monday, he attended his pre-trial hearing. Burks faces first-degree murder, felony murder and larceny charges in the death of Dr. Devon Hoover.

The prominent Detroit neurosurgeon was found dead in his attic in April 2023 after Detroit police performed a wellness check. Investigators said he had been shot twice in the head and his body was wrapped in a blood-soaked carpet.

Watch Darren Cunningham’s video report below:

Trial set to begin in Dr. Devon Hoover murder case

At the pre-trial, Judge Paul Cusick set the tone for how he expects the trial to go. It could last several weeks, according to court administration.

“Obviously, there’s always been respect shown to this court by the defendant and attorneys in this case, and all of the witnesses need to show the respect that is going to be required. There will be no outburst from any witnesses or anyone else during the proceedings,” the judge said.

Cusick discussed scheduling for the trial, starting with jury selection Wednesday and outlined restrictions for news media.

“Media is prohibited from showing and/or publishing the faces of any civilian witnesses not employed by the government,” he read.

Those same restrictions were in place during the preliminary hearing.

At the prelim, a number of people testified that they were former lovers of Desmond Burks.

Those men and women described Burks as a hustler and said he would send them money from an unknown Cash App and then have them send the money back to his Cash App.

Watch our coverage of the third day of the preliminary hearing below:

Day 3 concludes in Desmond Burks’ preliminary hearing in murder of Dr. Devon Hoover

Burks is accused of stealing more than $30,000 from Hoover via credit card and fraudulent bank transactions, and Burks allegedly used other people to execute his plan.

Investigators said text messages revealed Burks had an intimate relationship with Hoover and was sometimes paid for sexual services.

Watch our coverage of the second day of the preliminary hearing below:

Mystery backpack focus of testimony during day 2 of Hoover preliminary hearing

Testimony from the prelim also revealed that authorities zeroed in on Burks, in part, through cellphone records and surveillance footage involving Hoover’s stolen truck.

During the trial, we may hear from a close relative of Burks who identified him in surveillance footage during the prelim. The footage allegedly shows Burks walking away from Hoover’s stolen vehicle.

Watch our coverage of the first day of the preliminary hearing below:

Preliminary hearing begins for man charged with killing Dr. Devon Hoover

The jury selection process is scheduled to start at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.

MILWAUKEE — A police chase that began in West Milwaukee on Sunday morning ended in a fiery crash on Milwaukee’s south side, killing 18-year-old Izack Zavala.

The Medical Examiner’s Office identified Zavala as the passenger who died in the one-car crash at 37th and Mitchell streets. His family said he was a 2025 Milwaukee Public Schools Alexander Hamilton High School graduate who loved soccer and would do anything to help his loved ones.

The West Milwaukee Police Department said officers attempted to pull over the driver for a traffic violation near Miller Park Way and Lincoln Avenue, but the driver fled and crossed into Milwaukee.

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About a mile later, police say the fleeing driver hit a roundabout, lost control, and crashed into a tree, ejecting both the driver and passenger.

“If they were trying to avoid one of those, and with the weather being cold and slick, and you hit a patch of ice, and you’re gone. You’re done,” Barbie, who witnessed the aftermath, said.

The loud crash woke up neighbors like Barbie in the middle of the night.

Watch: Teen passenger dies in fiery crash after fleeing driver crashes into Milwaukee roundabout

Teen passenger dies in fiery crash after fleeing driver crashes into Milwaukee roundabout

“Like thunder struck the building. The entire building shook. It was insane,” Barbie said.

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Looking out her kitchen window, Barbie saw the devastating scene unfold.

“The whole thing just lit up like a torch,” she said.

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A day after the flames were extinguished, crash debris still surrounded the tree and Barbie’s backyard.

“The car was right there in the center,” she said.

Zavala’s family said his cousin was driving the vehicle. The 19-year-old driver was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

Barbie, who has witnessed crashes before, said seeing this one up close was different.

“I’ve seen plenty of crashes, had people that I care about die in crashes, but to see it up close is something different. I feel bad for the kid’s family,” she said.

The witness hopes the tragedy serves as a warning to others who might consider fleeing police.

“I feel for their family, and I wish to God that that wouldn’t have happened, obviously, but there comes a point, ‘what were you doing’, you know?” Barbie said. “I just think that people need to think before they do, and that’s just not a thing anymore.”

TMJ4 asked the West Milwaukee Police Department if it plans to refer charges for the 19-year-old driver who remains seriously injured at the hospital. The department declined to comment, saying it’s still an active investigation.

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