Two U.S. House committees are jointly subpoenaing the New Jersey State Department after accusing the state of failing to cooperate fully with an investigation into more than 6,000 noncitizens recently found on its voter rolls.

House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and House Administration Committee Chair Bryan Steil, R-Wis., sent a letter to New Jersey Acting Secretary of State Shirley Emehelu challenging the department’s limited response to congressional inquiries.

The committee leaders called the response “inadequate” and said it was impeding lawmakers’ “ability to conduct oversight and consider legislative reforms.” Despite repeated follow-up requests, the department had provided only 12 documents as of Wednesday.

SUBPOENAED: Chairmen @Jim_Jordan, @RepBryanSteil, @Congressman_JVD, and @RepLaurelLee subpoenaed New Jersey's Acting Secretary of State for information on how it registered over 6,000 noncitizens to vote.

After 79 days, only 12 documents have been produced to the Committees. The New Jersey Department of State can try to stonewall all they want, but this isn't going away. American deserve secure elections. https://t.co/VToPJnNQ4U — House Judiciary GOP (@JudiciaryGOP) October 21, 2026

According to the committees, the department cited “unspecified privilege issues to explain the failure to comply with the Committees’ requests.” The chairmen made clear that the sparse production had not satisfied their investigation.

“These ineligible voter registrations raise concerns about the application of federal law in New Jersey as it pertains to accurate voter registration, as well as the effect that New Jersey’s failure to identify and remove noncitizens from its voter rolls has on the civil liberties of American voters and their ability to elect their representatives,” lawmakers wrote.

Approximately 6,600 noncitizens were automatically registered to vote in New Jersey between June 2023 and 2024. Among them were 60 people who were incarcerated at the time and 750 who had specifically selected “no” during the voter registration age eligibility process.

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat, has blamed the illegal registrations on a “software error” at the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Idemia, the company that operates the software, has denied that accusation.

The committees launched their investigation in August. They say the department still has not produced records explaining either how the alleged software problem was discovered or why noncitizens remained registered until 2026.

The department “has not produced any documents that explain how the alleged software error resulting in the registration of noncitizens was discovered or why noncitizens remained on the voter rolls until 2026 – two topics about which the Committees specifically inquired.”

The chairmen also questioned the department’s reliance on privilege as its reason for withholding responsive material. They argued that the explanation was difficult to accept given the number of documents that have not been provided.

“Without additional details, it strains credulity to believe that every document responsive to the Committees’ request that has not been produced is privileged or that the privileges are being appropriately invoked,” the committee chairs added.

Sherrill says New Jersey has removed more than 5,100 individuals who were registered and referred other cases to local election clerks for removal. Approximately 400 improperly registered noncitizens were found to have voted between 2023 and 2024.

President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans have cited the New Jersey episode, along with other illegal voter registration cases, as reasons Congress should pass the SAVE America Act. The election security legislation passed the House but effectively died in the U.S. Senate.

The bill would require Americans to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote. It also would require registration in person for federal elections and direct states to remove all noncitizens from voter rolls.

Nearly all Democrats have denounced the legislation as an attempt at “voter suppression.” Republicans describe its requirements as “commonsense” election reforms aimed at protecting voter registration and federal elections.

Trump and many other Republicans also believe passing the legislation is crucial for congressional Republicans seeking to maintain their majority in the midterm elections. For now, the New Jersey document fight remains before the two House committees, with lawmakers demanding fuller answers about the registrations and removals.

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