The Justice Department (DOJ) is reportedly in talks with the Homeland Security Department about transferring sensitive voter registration data it has collected from states for use in criminal and immigration-related investigations. The voter registration data was gathered over the last several months by the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, which sent requests for voter registration-related information to at least 24 states. Of those, the division requested a complete list of all registered voters from at least 22 states. DHS reportedly intends to run the voter registration data against other information in its databases for use in criminal and immigration probes.
This comes as Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced that it has dropped a requirement that its officers prepare written reports identifying targets before making arrests. ICE said the requirement was eliminated earlier this year, reflecting a shift toward broader operations in public spaces and residential areas, including Los Angeles, Washington, Chicago, and Boston.