--- title: "US Department of Homeland Security Launches Investigations into Nonprofit Organizations" url: https://newscentral.site/us-department-of-homeland-security-launches-investigations-into/ language: en publisher: "News Central Site" section: "Technology" published: 2026-10-08T22:40:11.000Z updated: 2026-10-09T00:59:04.017Z id: 380ca534-e219-4239-83d4-2574177f83b1 source: "Wired https://www.wired.com/story/ice-emails-discuss-using-palantir-supported-tool-to-investigate-voter-fraud/" attribution: "Link to https://newscentral.site/us-department-of-homeland-security-launches-investigations-into/ and name News Central Site when you quote or summarize this story." --- # US Department of Homeland Security Launches Investigations into Nonprofit Organizations The federal government's efforts to combat voter fraud have led to investigations into over 150 nonprofit organizations suspected of facilitating noncitizen voter registration. A new trove of documents has been made public through a Freedom of Information Act request, shedding light on the federal government's efforts to combat voter fraud. The release, facilitated by Democracy Forward, a legal advocacy group, reveals that US Department of Homeland Security officials have launched investigations into over 150 nonprofit organizations suspected of facilitating noncitizen voter registration. At the forefront of these investigations is Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with its Homeland Security Investigations unit taking the lead in uncovering voter fraud. ICE's Innovation Lab, also known as iLab, has been developing tools to aid agents in their efforts. The lab's work appears to be closely tied to a Palantir-supported tool called ELITE. Experts have expressed concern about the government's reliance on ELITE, citing potential biases and inaccuracies in its data analysis. Chinmayi Sharma, an associate professor at Fordham Law School who has studied the tool extensively, notes that building a system capable of identifying individuals for investigation is a complex task. Sharma suggests that any new tool or system would need to leverage existing infrastructure and data sources to effectively target potential voter fraud cases. This approach would allow investigators to tap into established databases and networks, potentially streamlining their efforts and increasing the chances of uncovering genuine instances of voter fraud. The emails reveal that iLab's processing focuses on Department of Justice voting rolls and data from US Citizenship and Immigration Services. However, it appears that criminal histories are currently excluded from this process, with efforts underway to address this limitation. A key tool in these investigations is ELITE, an acronym for Enhanced Leads Identification & Targeting for Enforcement. This Palantir-supported platform allows ICE agents to create maps featuring potential deportation targets and access files on each individual. According to the records, voter roll data has not been integrated into ELITE, despite its use in other capacities. A Palantir spokesperson clarified that this information was accurate based on their current understanding. The exchange of emails indicates that once new information is processed, it will be sent to the White House for further action. This communication highlights the close coordination between agencies and branches of government involved in these efforts. ICE's efforts to combat election fraud are part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to address concerns about noncitizen voters influencing US elections. The administration has made claims that noncitizens are casting ballots in significant numbers, but evidence suggests this is extremely rare. Instead, officials have found only a small number of possible cases involving noncitizen voting. DHS under secretary Markwayne Mullin has been at the forefront of identifying noncitizen voters, and his efforts have led to some charges being brought against foreign nationals accused of committing voting-related crimes. The Justice Department announced this week that it had charged 16 individuals in connection with alleged voting-related offenses. A whistleblower has come forward alleging that federal employees may have broken the law by searching state websites for illegally registered voters at the direction of DHS leadership last month. ICE appears to be working on tools that will help identify voter fraud in the long term, despite claims made by Mullin and the Trump administration about short-term victories ahead of the midterms. The documents related to ICE's new approach suggest this system was not yet live or even in pre-deployment at the time, but rather being built for future use. The decision to build a voter fraud investigation tool within DHS may have been driven by the agency's existing authorities, infrastructure, vendor relationships, and contract vehicles, says an expert. This would allow ICE to leverage these resources to identify potential cases of voter fraud more effectively in the long term. --- Source: [Wired](https://www.wired.com/story/ice-emails-discuss-using-palantir-supported-tool-to-investigate-voter-fraud/) Published by News Central Site: https://newscentral.site/us-department-of-homeland-security-launches-investigations-into/