FAIR Investigation Reveals 'Dangerous Trifecta' Policies in Eight States Enabling Widespread Noncitizen Voting

Report Uncovers Thousands of Illegal Aliens on Voter Rolls, Stonewalling by Officials

News release from FAIR, March 12, 2026

WASHINGTON—The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) today released an investigative report exposing how eight “worst offender” jurisdictions—California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia—are undermining U.S. election integrity through a “dangerous trifecta” of policies: automatic voter registration (AVR), driver’s licenses for illegal aliens, and universal mail-in voting.

Titled “Manufacturing the Vote: How Anti-Borders States are Harming Election Integrity,” the report documents thousands of confirmed noncitizen registrations and illegal ballots cast nationwide, systemic flaws allowing ineligible voters to infiltrate rolls, and deliberate obstruction by state officials in response to FAIR’s public records requests.

Drawing on targeted research and public records requests, the investigation yielded data that should deeply concern lawmakers and citizens, such as: Nevada uncovered over 6,000 noncitizens on rolls, with nearly 4,000 having voted; Oregon admitted to registering at least 1,700 noncitizens; Colorado mistakenly urged 30,000 noncitizens to register; and similar incidents in states like Michigan, Texas, Indiana, and Ohio confirm hundreds of illegal votes.

FAIR’s inquiries to licensing and election agencies in the “worst offender” states also revealed widespread stonewalling—including exorbitant fees, blanket denials, heavy redactions, circular referrals, and missed deadlines. This resistance confirms either an absence of meaningful safeguards, or a deliberate effort to conceal vulnerabilities.

The report then outlines comprehensive policy recommendations to restore election integrity, starting with bold federal legislation and aggressive enforcement.

--FAIR strongly supports the SAVE America Act (which passed the House by a vote of 218-213 and now awaits Senate consideration). President Trump has declared that he will not sign other legislation until the Senate passes it, while the bill’s sponsors are urging a talking filibuster to force opponents to defend their position.

--FAIR also calls on the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division to redouble its enforcement efforts under the NVRA and the Civil Rights Act of 1960, by auditing voter rolls and compelling the removal of ineligible noncitizen registrants.

Beyond those recommendations, the report also highlights promising state-level reforms, opportunities for periodic audits using the SAVE program, and the option of strategic litigation to challenge some of these harmful election policies.

“American elections must be reserved exclusively for American citizens, yet anti-borders states have deliberately engineered systems that prioritize convenience for illegal aliens over election security,” said Dale Wilcox, FAIR’s executive director and general counsel. “FAIR strongly supports the SAVE America Act as an important step toward securing election integrity by requiring documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration in federal elections. We urge the Senate to pass this legislation immediately to override reckless state policies and restore citizen-only voting.”

“Our investigation lays bare how the combination of automatic voter registration, mail-in ballots, and noncitizen driver’s licenses creates a perfect storm for fraud,” added Mateo Forero, FAIR’s director of investigations. “The stonewalling we encountered when seeking basic information on safeguards demonstrates that these states have something to hide. FAIR calls on the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division to continue pushing for transparency and accountability in these rogue jurisdictions.”

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REPORT: HAWAII EXCERPTS

…Hawaii implemented Automatic Voter Registration (AVR) through Act 159 in 2021 (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 11-15.7). The state operates a front-end opt-out system at the DMV, where applicants are prompted to register during driver’s license or identification card transactions. Data is transmitted electronically to the Office of Elections, resulting in automatic registration unless the individual affirmatively declines. This system is fully integrated with DMV operations.

Within these DMV operations, Hawaii issues driver’s licenses to illegal aliens. This licensure scheme was passed in 2015 through Act 172 (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 286-104.5). This law allows undocumented residents to obtain limited-purpose licenses using alternative documentation such as unexpired foreign passports, consular identification cards, foreign birth certificates, or proof of Hawaii residency. These licenses are non-REAL ID compliant and clearly marked for limited use. The DMV data from these transactions feeds directly into the AVR system that creates a seamless pipeline from noncitizen licensing to voter registration.

Hawaii also employs expansive mail-in voting under Haw. Rev. Stat. § 11-101 et seq. (which was enacted in 2019 through Act 136). The state automatically mails ballots to all registered voters who have requested them, and the system is structured to make mail voting the default option for most elections (with return methods including mail or secure drop boxes). Verification relies primarily on signature matching.

The combination of these policies creates immense vulnerabilities. An individual obtaining a limited-purpose license at the DMV operates within the same ecosystem where AVR serves as the default pathway for registration. Once registered—often through simple self-attestation—an individual can easily request and receive a mail-in ballot with only signature verification required.

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Hawaii’s Office of Elections responded to our records request by disclaiming responsibility. The Office asserted that voter registration records are “county records” beyond its unilateral authority to release—even though it administers the statewide voter registration system. Citing production burdens, a lack of “readily retrievable” data, privacy concerns, and statutory exemptions, the Office produced only a single interagency memorandum, leaving no public accounting of how voter-registration data originating at the DMV is reviewed, verified, or corrected for ineligibility. 

To test the soundness of the Office of Elections’ response, we re-submitted our request at the county level. For this exercise, we targeted the Elections Division of Honolulu County. However, Honolulu County claimed it did not house any responsive records, denied the request, and directed FAIR back to the Hawaii Office of Elections. Correspondence at the state and county level consisted of circular referrals, seemingly designed to evade disclosure by placing records beyond public reach.

The state’s Department of Transportation, meanwhile, denied our records request and provided no explanation or justification for the denial….

read … Investigative-Report-on-Voter-Fraud.pdf