Trump cites unverified DHS figure of 278,000 noncitizen voter registrations; states reject it

In the primetime address, President Trump cited a Department of Homeland Security review he called 'stunning' that he said identified approximately 278,000 noncitizens registered to vote in federal elections. Fact-checkers reported the accompanying DHS document, which claimed over 250,000 noncitizens registered in four states, provided no methodology, and ABC News reported DHS reviewed only public voter files from California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Nevada without access to actual state rolls, while finding about 28,000 potential matches in ten states that did provide federal access. Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar's office said 'These numbers are wildly speculative at best and the Department of Homeland Security hasn't shared anything that backs it up,' and Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt said all evidence shows noncitizen voting is 'extremely rare.' David Becker of the Center for Election Innovation and Research called it 'an irresponsible number to share, given the opaque methodology,' predicting 'almost all of them are actually citizens'; the Heritage Foundation's own database records fewer than 100 noncitizen-voting convictions since 1982.

“According to the DHS review, state voter rolls and public records, they identified approximately 278,000 noncitizens who are registered to vote in federal elections.” Quote verified against source