Por Renan Filho · 2026-10-27**Lead**
Federal officials have identified 400 noncitizens who were registered to vote in Washington state, according to a review of state voter rolls conducted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The number, described by one official as the “tip of the iceberg,” has reignited debate over automatic voter registration policies and the effectiveness of safeguards meant to prevent ineligible individuals from casting ballots. The findings were shared with the Washington Secretary of State’s office earlier this month, though the exact timeline of the review has not been publicly disclosed.
**Context**
Washington is one of more than 20 states that have implemented automatic voter registration (AVR), a system that registers eligible citizens to vote when they interact with state agencies such as the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Under Washington’s law, which took effect in 2019, individuals applying for or renewing a driver’s license are automatically registered unless they opt out. The system relies on the applicant’s self-attestation of citizenship, with no real-time cross-check against federal immigration databases.
This reliance on self-certification has long been a point of contention. Critics argue that noncitizens—including lawful permanent residents, visa holders, and undocumented immigrants—may inadvertently or intentionally be added to the rolls when they affirm citizenship on DMV forms. The 400 cases identified by federal officials represent a small fraction of Washington’s 4.9 million registered voters, but election integrity advocates say the number is significant because it likely undercounts the true scope of the problem. “These are only the cases we’ve been able to confirm through federal records,” a DHS official told reporters on condition of anonymity. “There are almost certainly more that haven’t been caught yet.”
Washington state law prohibits noncitizens from voting in any election, including local and school board races. Violations can result in fines, deportation, and criminal charges. However, proving intent is difficult, and many noncitizens may not realize they have been registered. The state’s election division has a process for removing ineligible voters, but it typically relies on self-reported changes or periodic list maintenance. The federal review marks one of the most comprehensive efforts to date to identify noncitizen registrations in a single state.
**Analysis**
The revelation comes at a time of heightened national scrutiny over election security. While studies consistently show that noncitizen voting is extremely rare—accounting for well under 0.1% of ballots cast in federal elections—even isolated cases can fuel public distrust. Washington’s experience illustrates the tension between expanding voter access and ensuring that only eligible citizens participate. AVR has been championed by voting-rights groups for increasing registration rates, particularly among young and minority voters. But the system’s vulnerability to noncitizen registration has become a rallying cry for those advocating for proof-of-citizenship requirements.
Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, a Democrat, has defended the state’s AVR system while acknowledging the need for improvements. In a statement, his office said it is “working closely with federal partners to verify the citizenship status of the individuals identified and to remove any ineligible registrations.” The office also noted that the 400 cases represent less than 0.01% of the state’s voter rolls and that no evidence of actual voting by these individuals has been found so far. However, critics point out that even if none of the 400 voted, their presence on the rolls creates a risk of future misuse and undermines confidence in the system.
The “tip of the iceberg” comment reflects a broader concern among election integrity experts: that the current patchwork of state and federal data-sharing agreements is insufficient to catch all noncitizen registrations. Washington does not routinely compare its voter rolls against the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program, a federal database that can verify immigration status. Doing so would require additional resources and legal authority, which some states have been reluctant to pursue due to privacy and civil-rights concerns.
**Sources**
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) internal review data shared with the Washington Secretary of State’s office, October 2026. - Statement from the Office of the Washington Secretary of State, October 27, 2026. - Background on Washington’s Automatic Voter Registration law: Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 29A.08.110. - Previous reporting on noncitizen voting rates: Brennan Center for Justice, “The Myth of Voter Fraud” (2023); Heritage Foundation Election Fraud Database. - Anonymous briefing by a DHS official to reporters, October 26, 2026.