Internal Department of Homeland Security reports reveal the agency obtained tens of millions of records as part of a nationwide effort to identify noncitizen voters, and at one point weighed deploying undercover agents to investigate voter registration organizations, according to documents reviewed by reporters. The sweep involved scrutiny of nonprofits, raising civil liberties concerns among advocacy groups who say the scale of data collection goes well beyond what any documented fraud problem would warrant.
The investigation is a federal matter, but it has direct implications for Montana, where nonprofit voter registration organizations operate in communities including Helena. Groups that help eligible residents register to vote — including those serving Native American communities, low-income households, and new residents — fall within the category of organizations that DHS reportedly examined.
No Montana-specific findings have been made public, and the scope of any local impact remains unclear. The revelations come as debates over election administration continue at the state legislature and in county election offices across Montana.