U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary
10/21/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/21/2026 10:30
House Republicans Subpoena New Jersey Secretary of State for Information on the State Registering Over 6,000 Noncitizens to Vote
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH), House Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil (R-WI), House Judiciary Subcommittee on Oversight Chairman Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), and House Administration Subcommittee on Elections Chair Laurel Lee (R-FL) subpoenaed the Acting Secretary of State of New Jersey Shirley Emehelu after the New Jersey Department of State failed to produce sufficient documents responsive to the Committees' oversight requests concerning New Jersey's registration of approximately 6,600 noncitizens to vote between June 2023 and June 2024.
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.
On August 3, 2026, the Committees requested documents and information from the Department about its compliance with applicable federal voting laws. To date, the Department's response has been inadequate. The Department has produced only 12 total documents, and it has not produced any documents that explain how the alleged software error resulting in the registration of noncitizens was discovered or why noncitizens remained on the voter rolls until 2026-two topics about which the Committees specifically inquired.
None of the documents offered any substantive insight into how the noncitizen voter registration issue was discovered or why New Jersey did not conduct any remediation efforts until 2026. Seventy-nine days after the Committees' initial requests, and despite the Committees' best efforts at accommodating the New Jersey Department of State, its response has been inadequate. The Department's failure to produce all responsive documents has impeded the Committees' ability to conduct oversight and consider legislative reforms.
Read the subpoena cover letter to the Acting Secretary of State of New Jersey here.
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.
On August 3, 2026, the Committees requested documents and information from the Department about its compliance with applicable federal voting laws. To date, the Department's response has been inadequate. The Department has produced only 12 total documents, and it has not produced any documents that explain how the alleged software error resulting in the registration of noncitizens was discovered or why noncitizens remained on the voter rolls until 2026-two topics about which the Committees specifically inquired.
None of the documents offered any substantive insight into how the noncitizen voter registration issue was discovered or why New Jersey did not conduct any remediation efforts until 2026. Seventy-nine days after the Committees' initial requests, and despite the Committees' best efforts at accommodating the New Jersey Department of State, its response has been inadequate. The Department's failure to produce all responsive documents has impeded the Committees' ability to conduct oversight and consider legislative reforms.
Read the subpoena cover letter to the Acting Secretary of State of New Jersey here.
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