The House Oversight Committee has launched an investigation into reports that non-citizens have been identified in jury pools and on voter rolls in Michigan, a critical swing state.
Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and Rep. John James, R-Mich., have formally requested a briefing from Attorney General Pam Bondi to determine the extent of the issue and whether federal laws are being violated.
The inquiry centers on whether individuals who are not U.S. citizens are being granted rights reserved exclusively for citizens, such as the ability to vote and serve on juries.
**Findings in Macomb County, Michigan
The investigation was sparked by findings from Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini. During a four month cross check of the county’s jury pool and the Michigan Secretary of State’s Qualified Voter File, several discrepancies were discovered:
- Jury Pool Presence: A total of 239 non-citizens were found to have been included in the local jury pool over a four month period.
- Voter Registration: Of those individuals, 14 were identified as having been registered to vote at some point.
- Potential Voting History: Clerk Forlini reported that at least one individual appeared to have voted multiple times, an act that could lead to felony charges.
The letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) argues that because Michigan automatically registers individuals for the voter rolls when they apply for a driver’s license or state ID, non-citizens may be added to the system inadvertently.
Requests for National Oversight
Comer and James are asking the DOJ to review whether similar issues are occurring in other states across the country. They are specifically seeking information on:
- The DOJ’s role in investigating non-citizen registration and jury pool participation.
- Whether any state or local officials have resisted or delayed cooperation with federal inquiries into these matters.
- The potential for these issues to impact the integrity of national elections.
Conflicting Responses from State Officials
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has pushed back against the allegations, calling the reports reckless.
While the state has launched its own probe, Benson indicated that only four of the individuals flagged by the county clerk were actually non-citizens registered to vote.
She warned that spreading unverified information could lead to eligible U.S. citizens losing their voter registrations without proper notice.
While there is currently no validated evidence that non-citizen voting has altered the results of a federal election, House Republicans continue to advocate for stricter verification measures.
This includes the SAVE America Act, which is expected to face a vote in the House this week.