The Trump administration demanded that New Jersey turn over the identities of roughly 6,600 noncitizens who were mistakenly added to the state's voter rolls, as the Justice Department weighs possible criminal charges against those who cast ballots.

According to Politico, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon sent Gov. Mikie Sherrill a letter Tuesday requesting the names, nationalities, and addresses of the affected individuals within five business days as part of a federal investigation into whether New Jersey complied with federal election laws.

The request came after Sherrill disclosed that some 6,600 noncitizens were improperly registered to vote because of a software error at the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission during the Murphy administration. She said about 400 voted in elections beginning in 2023 and that she was not informed of the problem until last week.

While Dhillon's letter did not explicitly mention prosecutions, she made clear during a Wednesday appearance with conservative commentator Benny Johnson that noncitizens who vote in federal elections could face severe consequences.

"The consequences of voting when you're not allowed to in a federal election can mean removal to your home country and worse — it's a crime," Dhillon said. "And you know people need to just stop cold in their tracks and not enable it. And shame on New Jersey for its sloppy and incompetent handling of this issue or worse."

The Justice Department later confirmed it is actively considering criminal cases.

"It is illegal for any noncitizen to vote in a federal election, and every unlawful vote dilutes the voice of American citizens," DOJ spokesperson Kiersten Pels said in a statement obtained by Politico. "The Civil Rights Division is investigating and will keep pressing states to clean their rolls. The Department is prosecuting cases where the law and evidence support it."

Federal law prohibits noncitizens from voting in U.S. federal elections, and violations can carry criminal penalties, including fines and imprisonment.

Sherrill has maintained there is "no evidence" the approximately 400 ballots affected the outcome of any election. Her administration also indicated it may resist the DOJ's request for the voters' personal information.

"The Trump administration has a long history of weaponizing the Justice Department for political purposes and attempting to overturn election results," Sherrill spokesperson Sean Higgins said in a statement to Politico Wednesday. "Governor Sherrill has been clear that she will use all the legal tools available to her to protect New Jerseyans' personal information."

The DOJ is also reportedly citing the voter registration error in its lawsuit seeking access to New Jersey's unredacted voter registration database. Meanwhile, an independent review is examining the MVC software failure, and Assembly Republicans are calling for a special committee with subpoena power to investigate how thousands of noncitizens ended up on the state's voter rolls.