ICE Agents Obtain Voter Files Directly from Two Texas Counties
In May 2026, ICE Homeland Security Investigations obtained voter files from two Texas counties.
Why it matters: This move raises significant legal and privacy questions about federal use of election data and local authority over voter information.
- In May 2026, ICE Homeland Security Investigations agents directly requested voter files from local officials in two Texas counties.
- In April 2026, DHS issued subpoenas to Texas counties for voter registration records, signaling increased federal scrutiny.
- Texas local election officials described the requests as unusual and raised concerns about the practice.
- Previous efforts to access voter data, including DOJ lawsuits and Arizona officials' warnings, highlight ongoing tensions over election data privacy.
In a new development uncovered by Axios, agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a division of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), directly requested individual voter files from election officials in two Texas counties in May 2026. This marked a rare instance of federal agents obtaining sensitive voter data straight from local authorities without court orders.
The action followed inquiries made by an HSI analyst to the Texas Secretary of State's office in April 2026 about procedures for acquiring election data. Shortly after, administrative subpoenas were issued to multiple Texas counties, including Lubbock, Brazos, and Montgomery, demanding voter registration records, as reported by Hoodline.
Election officials in Webb County publicly acknowledged the request and described it as unusual, reflecting unease about federal agencies accessing voter data directly. This unease echoes warnings from Arizona's top officials earlier in 2026 who advised counties not to provide unredacted voter files to federal entities, due to potential violations of state and federal privacy laws (AZ Mirror).
The broader context encompasses a contentious history of federal attempts to investigate alleged noncitizen voting. For instance, the U.S. Department of Justice sued Orange County, California, in June 2025 after officials refused to disclose detailed data about individuals removed from voter rolls over citizenship concerns (LA Times).
Federal investigations into election fraud have relied in part on the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program, which has raised accuracy concerns due to mistaken flags of U.S. citizens as noncitizens (Texas Tribune).
While DHS has declined to comment on active investigations, its stated mission remains to "root out and investigate election fraud wherever it can be found," underscoring ongoing federal efforts to scrutinize voter rolls at the county level.
By the numbers:
- May 2026 — ICE HSI requests voter files from two Texas counties
- April 2026 — DHS issues subpoenas to multiple Texas counties for voter records
- June 2025 — DOJ sues Orange County registrar over noncitizen voting records
Yes, but: The exact size of the data obtained and any subsequent outcomes of these investigations remain undisclosed, leaving the full impact unclear.
What's next: Legal challenges and state-level resistance are expected to continue as counties seek to protect voter data privacy amid federal demands.