--- title: "ICE gathered millions of voter records for election fraud probes" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/ice-gathered-millions-of-voter-records-for-election-fraud-probes" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/ice-gathered-millions-of-voter-records-for-election-fraud-probes" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/ice-gathered-millions-of-voter-records-for-election-fraud-probes.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/ice-gathered-millions-of-voter-records-for-election-fraud-probes" category: "Politics" area: "United States" published: "2026-10-07T16:25:19.322Z" source_reported: "2026-10-07T15:28:36.000Z" updated: "2026-10-07T16:25:19.322Z" trust_score: 50 critic_score: 58 hype_score: 41 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-10-07T16:15:17.207984+00:00" --- # ICE gathered millions of voter records for election fraud probes *Documents show the agency considered undercover agents and reviewed data from the Justice Department and USCIS.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 50 of 100, higher is better. Central claims attributed to Democracy Forward and ICE documents, with some figures from DOJ. - Craft 58 of 100, higher is better. Reporting is clear and holds together, but lacks quotes from affected parties or discussion of next steps. - Hype 41 of 100, lower is better. Headline promises more than the body delivers, with mild sensationalism in language used. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) collected 50.6 million voter roll records from the US Department of Justice and 26,235 records from US Citizenship and Immigration Services. - ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) branch considered deploying undercover agents to investigate nonprofit organizations suspected of illegally registering noncitizens. - A review by HSI of more than 40 nonprofits in New Jersey found no derogatory information. - Certain state voter roll data may have been entered into Palantir’s ELITE app, used by ICE to identify targets for deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has amassed millions of voter records as part of an initiative to investigate potential election fraud. The agency's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) branch obtained 50.6 million voter roll records from the US Department of Justice and 26,235 records derived from US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). ICE identified priority states for these records, including Texas, Pennsylvania, California, New Jersey, Minnesota, Michigan, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, and Ohio. HSI also explored the possibility of using undercover agents to investigate nonprofit organizations accused of illegally registering noncitizens to vote. However, HSI's review of more than 40 such organizations in New Jersey uncovered no derogatory information. Reports indicate that state voter roll data may have been incorporated into Palantir’s ELITE application, which ICE uses to identify individuals for deportation. ## Disagreement on the number of organizations investigated Common Dreams reported that HSI reviewed more than 40 nonprofits in New Jersey. Political Wire, citing The New York Times, stated that homeland security officials investigated more than 150 organizations nationwide. ## What the coverage left out None of the left-rated or centre-rated reports mentioned that ICE's review of more than 40 nonprofits in New Jersey uncovered no derogatory information. The right-rated outlets did not run this story at all. ## Who covered it Shares of the 15 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 40% (6) - Centre: 60% (9) - Right: 0% (0) 1 of 16 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-10-07T16:15:17.207984+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 4 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-10-07T17:15:15.326Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - Left-rated reports led on the scale of the data gathered by ICE and the potential implications for elections. Common Dreams highlighted that ICE had gathered 50.6 million voter records ahead of the midterm elections, framing it as an effort to combat "voter fraud." The outlet quoted Democracy Forward president Skye Perryman, who said the information "should concern all Americans" and was "further evidence of an alarming attempt by the executive branch to undermine our elections." Raw Story described the records as exposing a "national initiative" involving tens of millions of Americans' voter records. The New Republic stated that ICE "secretly investigated hundreds of nonprofits across the country," targeting "voting rights groups in swing states, and beyond." CNN reported that the Department of Homeland Security's "sweeping election-fraud operation" had drawn on tens of millions of records and scrutinized dozens of nonprofit voter-registration groups. Latin Times and The Washington Post focused on ICE questioning immigrant detainees about illegal voting. ### Centre - Centre-rated reports focused on the details of ICE's investigation into voter registration and the data collected. KIFI, KRDO, KVIA, KEYT, KMIZ, KESQ, and kioncentralcoast.com, all citing CNN, reported that ICE reviewed tens of millions of voter records to look for noncitizen voters and considered deploying undercover agents. Newsweek noted that ICE considered sending undercover agents to investigate groups suspected of recruiting noncitizens to register to vote. Political Wire reported that the Trump administration was ramping up investigations into voter registration, citing The New York Times' mention of officials investigating more than 150 organizations. ### Right No separate framing summary. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 1 - high: 11 - unknown: 1 - veryHigh: 3 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [American Urban Radio Networks](https://aurn.com/democracy-forward-ice-voter-registration-investigations) — ICE Investigated Voter Registration Groups, Report Says - [Raw Story](https://rawstory.com/ice-2678020079) — Internal docs expose ICE's 'national initiative' involving tens of millions of voters - [Political Wire](https://politicalwire.com/2026/10/07/trump-ramps-up-investigations-into-voter-registration) — Trump Ramps Up Investigations Into Voter Registration - [Newsweek](https://newsweek.com/ice-probes-voting-groups-infiltrates-anti-ice-crews-in-election-crackdown-12534895) — ICE probes voting groups, infiltrates anti-ICE crews in election crackdown - [Common Dreams](https://commondreams.org/news/ice-undermine-elections) — 'Should Concern All Americans': Records Show ICE Has Gathered 50 Million Voter Records Ahead of Midterms - [The New Republic](https://newrepublic.com/post/216322/ice-secretly-investigated-nonprofits-voting-rights-groups) — ICE Secretly Investigated Hundreds of Nonprofits Across the Country - [CNN](https://cnn.com/2026/10/07/politics/dhs-ice-voter-fraud-investigation-undercover) — ICE reviewed tens of millions of voter records looking for noncitizen voters, records show - [KIFI](https://localnews8.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2026/10/07/ice-reviewed-tens-of-millions-of-voter-records-looking-for-noncitizen-voters-records-show) — ICE reviewed tens of millions of voter records looking for noncitizen voters, records show - [KRDO](https://krdo.com/news/2026/10/07/ice-reviewed-tens-of-millions-of-voter-records-looking-for-noncitizen-voters-records-show) — ICE reviewed tens of millions of voter records looking for noncitizen voters, records show - [KVIA](https://kvia.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2026/10/07/ice-reviewed-tens-of-millions-of-voter-records-looking-for-noncitizen-voters-records-show) — ICE reviewed tens of millions of voter records looking for noncitizen voters, records show - [KEYT](https://keyt.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2026/10/07/ice-reviewed-tens-of-millions-of-voter-records-looking-for-noncitizen-voters-records-show) — ICE reviewed tens of millions of voter records looking for noncitizen voters, records show - [KMIZ](https://abc17news.com/politics/national-politics/cnn-us-politics/2026/10/07/ice-reviewed-tens-of-millions-of-voter-records-looking-for-noncitizen-voters-records-show) — ICE reviewed tens of millions of voter records looking for noncitizen voters, records show - [KESQ](https://kesq.com/news/national-politics/cnn-us-politics/2026/10/07/ice-reviewed-tens-of-millions-of-voter-records-looking-for-noncitizen-voters-records-show) — ICE reviewed tens of millions of voter records looking for noncitizen voters, records show - [kioncentralcoast.com](https://kioncentralcoast.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2026/10/07/ice-reviewed-tens-of-millions-of-voter-records-looking-for-noncitizen-voters-records-show) — ICE reviewed tens of millions of voter records looking for noncitizen voters, records show - [Latin Times](https://latintimes.com/ice-reportedly-now-asking-immigrant-detainees-if-they-voted-illegally-ahead-election-599929) — ICE Is Reportedly Now Asking Immigrant Detainees If They Voted Illegally Ahead of Election - [The Washington Post](https://washingtonpost.com/immigration/2026/10/06/run-up-election-ice-is-asking-detainees-if-they-voted-illegally) — In run-up to election, ICE is asking detainees if they voted illegally ## Questions **How many voter records did ICE gather?** Immigration and Customs Enforcement gathered 50.6 million voter roll records from the US Department of Justice and 26,235 records from US Citizenship and Immigration Services. These records were part of an initiative to investigate potential election fraud. **Did ICE investigate nonprofit organizations?** Yes, ICE's Homeland Security Investigations branch considered sending undercover agents to investigate nonprofit organizations accused of illegally registering noncitizens to vote. However, a review of more than 40 such groups in New Jersey found no derogatory information. **Which states were priority targets for ICE's data collection?** ICE listed priority states for its collected voter records, including Texas, Pennsylvania, California, New Jersey, Minnesota, Michigan, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, and Ohio. This data was part of an effort to investigate potential election fraud. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/ice-gathered-millions-of-voter-records-for-election-fraud-probes. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "ICE gathered millions of voter records for election fraud probes", https://mediabias.news/politics/ice-gathered-millions-of-voter-records-for-election-fraud-probes