Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson is pushing back against the Department of Justice after the agency warned election officials in several states that they could face criminal prosecution over voter eligibility issues tied to alleged noncitizen voting.
According to Democracy Docket, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon sent letters to election officials in Michigan, Nevada, and Utah, giving the states five days to explain how they planned to “comply with federal voter eligibility laws.”
Henderson, a Republican who serves as Utah’s top election official, sharply criticized the move and accused the federal agency of targeting state election leaders who are following state and federal law.
“Got another love letter this morning from the DOJ sprinkled throughout with threats of criminal prosecution,” Henderson wrote in a post on Threads.
“I’m sure I’m not the only chief election officer of a state who is being targeted for following state and federal laws by resisting DOJ’s demands for private voter data that have thus far been ruled illegal by at least a dozen courts. This is truly bizarre behavior by the federal agency that is supposed to be protecting civil rights,” Henderson wrote.
The letters appear to frame routine voter roll maintenance as a potential criminal matter. The DOJ warned that election officials could be held liable if they knowingly keep noncitizens on statewide voter registration lists or allow them to receive and cast ballots.
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“Any election officer, including the chief election officer of the state, who knowingly retains noncitizens on the state’s [Statewide Voter Registration List] or facilitates noncitizens in receiving and casting ballots could be subject to criminal liability,” Dhillon wrote.
The warning marks another step in President Donald Trump’s broader election agenda ahead of the midterms. Trump and his allies have continued to focus on claims of noncitizen voting and voter roll issues, even as voting rights advocates and election officials have challenged many of the administration’s demands for voter data.
Henderson’s response highlights the growing tension between the DOJ and state election officials, including Republicans, over how far the federal government can go in seeking access to private voter information. Utah has resisted DOJ demands for private voter data, with Henderson arguing that state officials are complying with the law rather than defying it.
“The letters come as Trump and his allies continue to push restrictions aimed at alleged widespread noncitizen voting — a problem for which they have not produced evidence,” according to Democracy Docket.
The DOJ’s latest letters were sent as several states continue to face federal pressure over voter list maintenance and election records. Henderson’s public criticism stands out because it comes from a Republican official in a red state, underscoring that resistance to the agency’s demands is not limited to Democratic-led states.