The House Oversight Committee is opening a probe into reports that a key swing state may have allowed noncitizens onto jury pools and voter rolls, raising fresh questions about election integrity and potential violations of federal law.
Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., along with Rep. John James, R-Mich., is demanding answers from Attorney General Pam Bondi about whether a county in the Detroit metropolitan area improperly extended rights reserved for U.S. citizens to noncitizens.
“Non-citizens have appeared in the state’s jury pool, and in some instances, have been registered to vote,” Comer and James wrote in a letter to Bondi. “The Committee is requesting a briefing to understand the U.S. Department of Justice’s role in investigating such matters, and the potential for similar issues to be occurring nationwide.”
Comer said the attorney general has clear authority under the Civil Rights Act to investigate and act on such abuses if they are confirmed.
The inquiry centers on Michigan’s system for assembling jury pools, which draws names from people holding driver’s licenses and state identification cards. Under state law, individuals applying for those IDs are automatically registered to vote unless they opt out.
“In Michigan’s Macomb County, Clerk Anthony Forlini uncovered significant breaches during a cross check of the Michigan Secretary of State’s Qualified Voter File and the county jury pool,” Comer and James wrote. “Over a four-month period, 239 non-citizens were found to have been included in the jury pool. Of these individuals, 14 were identified as having been registered to vote at one point.”
Forlini disclosed the findings last month, warning that noncitizens were appearing in local jury pools “at an alarming rate.”
“What we have found is very disturbing — 239 non-citizens were found in the jury pool over a four-month period,” Forlini said in a press release posted on the county’s website. “In a cross check of our voter rolls it appears that 14 of these prospective jurors were registered to vote at some point in time.”
He added that the county’s Qualified Voter File “shows instances where some of these non-citizens potentially having a voting history.”
“One in particular appears to have voted several times, all of which could result in felony charges,” Forlini said.
James, whose district includes parts of southeastern Michigan, said the findings demand immediate scrutiny, particularly in a battleground state that has played a decisive role in recent presidential elections.
The Justice Department already sued Michigan late last year over access to voter information, adding another layer of tension between federal authorities and the Democrat-led state government.
Comer and James pressed Bondi to determine whether similar problems exist beyond Michigan and whether any state or local officials have resisted federal oversight.
🚨 BREAKING: @RepJamesComer and @RepJames are investigating how 200+ non-citizens ended up in Michigan jury pools—and some even registered to vote.
Americans deserve election and justice systems they can trust.
Read the letter to @AGPamBondi 👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/l8XwpZG1qe
— Oversight Committee (@GOPoversight) February 10, 2026
They asked whether “any states, counties, or local election or court officials have resisted, delayed, or refused cooperation with DOJ inquiries or corrective efforts related to these issues, and how DOJ has responded to such non-cooperation.”
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson pushed back hard on Forlini’s claims, calling them “reckless” after the state launched its own investigation.
“This is what happens when you prioritize headlines over facts, real people pay the price,” Benson said in a statement. “Now, at least one eligible Michigan voter is under criminal investigation for doing nothing wrong, and at least two verified U.S. citizens risk losing their voter registration without notice. I take any reports of illegal voting activity very seriously.”
Benson said the state review found that only four people flagged by Forlini were actually noncitizens registered to vote and said those cases would be investigated.
There is no validated evidence that noncitizen voting has changed the outcome of any federal election. Republicans, however, argue that the surge of illegal immigration under the Biden administration has increased the risk and exposed weaknesses in state systems.
House Republicans have introduced several measures aimed at tightening safeguards, including the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship for voter registration and is expected to receive a vote this week.
Comer said the Oversight Committee intends to keep pressing until it has a clear picture of how widespread the problem may be and whether federal enforcement has been adequate.
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