DHS Chief Defends Trump’s Election Integrity Push, Vows Federal Citizenship Checks at Polls for Midterms

June 16, 2026

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin defended President Donald Trump’s efforts to strengthen election integrity on Sunday, arguing that ensuring only American citizens vote in federal elections should be a matter of basic common sense.

Appearing on CNN’s State of the Union, Mullin said the administration is already preparing for the 2026 midterm elections by reviewing voter records and citizenship information as part of President Trump’s broader election security agenda.

‘Only Citizens of the United States Are Voting’

When asked about the administration’s plans regarding voter information, Mullin said the objective is straightforward: protecting the integrity of America’s elections.

“Well, we’re going to make sure that our Constitution is upheld, meaning that only citizens of the United States are voting,” Mullin said.

The DHS secretary emphasized that election security remains one of the administration’s top priorities and argued that verifying voter eligibility should not be a controversial issue.

“What we want to make sure is that every vote actually counts,” Mullin said.

“Why wouldn’t we want to make sure that it’s safe?”

WATCH:

Will Secretary Mullin rule out sending ICE agents to polling places in November? pic.twitter.com/zim50A7FKG

— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) June 14, 2026

The comments come as President Trump continues to make election integrity a central focus of his second term, arguing that voter confidence depends on ensuring that only eligible citizens participate in federal elections.

‘One Illegal Vote Is One Too Many’

During the interview, CNN host Kasie Hunt cited a count of noncitizen voting prosecutions and suggested the number was relatively small.

Mullin rejected that argument, saying even a limited number of illegal votes is unacceptable.

“Twenty-five is 25 too many,” he said.

“It’s kind of like one illegal death, one individual that dies from the hands of an illegal is one too many. It’s all preventable.

“One person voting illegally is one too many.”

Mullin stressed that Americans should have confidence that elections are conducted fairly and that every lawful vote carries equal weight.

He also noted concerns about voter registration records and mail-ballot procedures, arguing that election officials should regularly review voter rolls to ensure accuracy.

“If you start looking and scrubbing some of these rolls, we see thousands of individuals that are registered to vote and that has had mail-out ballots to them,” Mullin said.

Trump Administration Expands Election Security Measures

The exchange follows President Trump’s March 31 executive order directing DHS and the Social Security Administration to work with election officials to verify citizenship records ahead of federal elections.

According to the White House, the order is designed to strengthen election security, improve voter-roll accuracy, and ensure that mail-in and absentee ballot procedures are reserved for eligible voters.

The administration has argued that basic citizenship verification safeguards are necessary to restore public confidence in elections and prevent unlawful voting.

Mullin made a similar point during his confirmation process earlier this year when lawmakers questioned whether immigration enforcement actions could occur near polling locations.

“I don’t understand what the concern about enforcing immigration at polling places is anyways,” Mullin said at the time.

“Because, honestly, if you’re not a citizen, you shouldn’t be voting anyways.”

As preparations for the 2026 midterms accelerate, the Trump administration has signaled that election integrity measures will remain a major focus, with federal agencies working alongside state officials to ensure that only eligible American citizens cast ballots in federal elections.