DHS Secretary Threatens Election Officials With Prison, Funding Cuts Over Election Security

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on July 17, 2026, threatened state and local election officials with prison time and pledged to withhold federal funding from states that do not adopt the Trump administration's election security measures. Mullin called the push "mandatory" under a "maximum pressure" campaign. A July 10 DHS directive routed through FEMA ties compliance to federal grants.