Overview
- At a tightly managed Arizona press event promoting the SAVE America Act, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called elections a DHS “critical infrastructure” responsibility and said the department had been proactive to ensure “the right people” vote for “the right leaders.”
- Lawmakers and election specialists challenged her assertions, with the Brennan Center’s Wendy Weiser saying it is false that DHS has authority over who votes or who gets elected, noting the department’s role is limited to securing election infrastructure.
- Noem later defended her remarks on X, saying she was referring to preventing non‑citizens from voting, and a DHS spokesperson echoed that explanation, even as research cited in coverage finds non‑citizen voting to be rare and already illegal.
- White House border czar Tom Homan declined on CNN to explain what Noem meant by “electing the right leaders,” saying he did not know and that she would have to answer for the remarks.
- The controversy comes as the House‑passed SAVE America Act—requiring photo ID and proof of citizenship for federal registration—faces an uncertain path in the Senate, and President Trump has signaled he may pursue voter‑ID requirements unilaterally.