Critics slam Pam Bondi's demand for Minnesota voter rolls amid ICE surge

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Source: The Guardian

Mon 26 Jan 2026 13.31 EST
Last modified on Mon 26 Jan 2026 14.46 EST


There was widespread outrage after the attorney general, Pam Bondi, pushed for access to Minnesota’s voter rolls as the state reeled from the killing of Alex Pretti over the weekend. Bondi included the demand for voter rolls in a letter she sent to the Minnesota governor, Tim Walz, on Saturday urging him to “change course” in the state. In addition to turning over the voter rolls, Bondi also said the state should turn over data on those receiving public assistance and repeal sanctuary city policies in the state.

The request for voter rolls stood out because it has nothing to do with immigration enforcement – the Trump administration has not presented evidence of widespread voter fraud by non-citizens in Minnesota or elsewhere. In a court hearing on Monday as part of a request to end the surging federal immigration enforcement presence in Minnesota, an attorney representing the state described Bondi’s request as a “ransom note”.

Minnesota is one of nearly two dozen states the justice department is suing for its full, unredacted voter file, including partial social security numbers, full dates of birth and driver’s license numbers. Experts say the legal rationale behind the suits is flimsy and it is a thinly veiled effort to sow doubt about the administration of elections ahead of the midterm elections.

“The answer to Attorney General Bondi’s request is no. Her letter is an outrageous attempt to coerce Minnesota into giving the federal government private data on millions of US citizens in violation of state and federal law,” Steve Simon, Minnesota’s top election official, said in a statement on Sunday. Simon added his office had already offered to turn over information in the voter file, but that request was rejected.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/26/pam-bondi-minnesota-voter-rolls-ice-surge

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REFERENCE - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143604926