The Republican leaders of the House Judiciary and Administration Committees have subpoenaed the administration of New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, demanding answers on why 6,600 noncitizens remained registered to vote until 2026.
In July, Sherrill said a software error in the state’s Motor Vehicle Commission system resulted in the 6,600 being registered to vote between June 2023 and June 2024.
Sherrill, a Democrat, said that the individuals had answered “no” when asked on a keypad whether they were U.S. citizens while applying for driver’s licenses or identification cards, but were still registered because of the alleged software error.
The White House stated in an email to The Epoch Times in July that the New Jersey error highlighted the need to pass the SAVE America Act, which Republicans say is necessary to ensure election integrity.
“Democrats and their media allies have repeatedly said it is impossible for noncitizens to register to vote, let alone cast a ballot,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said. “Time and again, they have been proven wrong.”
In a letter sent on Oct. 21, and seen by The Epoch Times, House Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil (R-Wis.) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) wrote to New Jersey Acting Secretary of State Shirley U. Emehelu.
“These ineligible voter registrations raise concerns about the application of federal law in New Jersey as it pertains to accurate voter registration, as well as the effect that New Jersey’s failure to identify and remove noncitizens from its voter rolls has on the civil liberties of American voters and their ability to elect their representatives,” Steil and Jordan say in the letter.
Nov. 16 Ultimatum
The subpoena gives Emehelu—who replaced Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell after he resigned on Sept. 25 amid allegations in an ethics report that claimed he violated state sexual harassment policies—until Nov. 16 to comply with the House Republicans’ demands for documentation.
The two House committees on Aug. 3 requested documents from New Jersey to confirm it was complying with federal voting laws.
But it said the state had only produced 12 documents, none of which explained how the alleged software error resulting in the registration of noncitizens was discovered, nor why noncitizens remained on the voter rolls until 2026.
“The Department [of State]’s failure to produce all responsive documents has impeded the Committees’ ability to conduct oversight and consider legislative reforms,” Steil and Jordan wrote in the letter, which was co-signed by Reps. Laurel Lee (R-Fla.) and Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.).
‘Broad, Indispensable’ Oversight Power
“The Supreme Court has recognized that Congress has ‘broad and indispensable’ power to conduct oversight, which ‘encompasses inquiries into the administration of existing laws, studies of proposed laws, and surveys in our social, economic or political system for the purpose of enabling Congress to remedy them,’” the letter states.
In her response on Wednesday, Sherrill accused Republicans of “choosing to play political games just thirteen days before the midterm elections.”
“From the moment we discovered the MVC registration issue from 2023, we took action immediately, went above and beyond in making agency-wide reforms, and have been transparent every step of the way,” she said. “We did this so that New Jerseyans can feel confident that we are running the strongest and fairest election in our country.”
Since Sherrill—who was elected governor in November 2025, replacing Phil Murphy—first announced the software glitch in July, she has said New Jersey is overseeing a purge of erroneous registrations on the electoral rolls, and has commissioned an independent investigation into them.
The Department of Homeland Security is currently carrying out an enforcement surge addressing noncitizen voting in California, Connecticut, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wisconsin.
But on Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín granted a preliminary injunction on Homeland Security election-related field operations and interviews involving people federal officials “know, suspect or should reasonably know or suspect are U.S. citizens.”
Earlier this month, it emerged that 16 foreign nationals in New York, North Carolina, and Idaho, including an illegal immigrant, have been charged in connection with illegal voting, false claims of U.S. citizenship, and related election crimes.
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