After discovering 15 alleged noncitizen voters, Michigan officials refused to tell The Federalist where they voted. Then, when The Federalist submitted a public records request, they denied it — claiming it would “interfere with law enforcement” and infringe on “candid policy making communications.”
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced the likely noncitizen voters earlier this month, and The Federalist asked her office for “the cities, and university campuses where applicable, where the 15 possible noncitizens allegedly voted.” After all, as The Federalist previously reported, a Chinese national allegedly voted at the University of Michigan last fall after being pressured by a left-wing group.
Angela Benander, chief communications officer for the secretary of state, told The Federalist there “is an active law enforcement investigation,” so she could not share “any specific details about the people or jurisdictions involved.”
“I can share that these appear to be scattered, isolated events across the state, not largely concentrated in specific counties or jurisdictions,” Benander said.
Benson referred 13 of these potential noncitizen voters to Attorney General Dana Nessel for prosecution — though when the Hamtramck, Michigan, city clerk pleaded with Nessel to help stop election fraud, the attorney general did not reply. She did, however, find the time to meet with an official who allegedly engaged in voter fraud, as The Federalist previously reported.
The Federalist also asked Nessel’s office where these instances of alleged noncitizen voting occurred. Kimberly Bush, director of the attorney general’s Office of Public Information and Education, told The Federalist that officials’ “review of these cases remains ongoing,” so she “cannot provide further information or comment.”
“Attorney General Dana Nessel has been committed to pursuing, investigating, and charging, cases of election fraud, and has done so on numerous cases when the evidence provides for criminal charges,” Bush said. “At the conclusion of this review, our office will make an appropriate public announcement regarding our findings.”
Given the lack of answers from Benson and Nessel, The Federalist also submitted Freedom of Information Act requests to both offices. Since at least one Chinese national already allegedly voted at the U of M, The Federalist asked for “any and all emails or case files” regarding the investigation that include terms like “Ann Arbor,” “University of Michigan,” or “university.”
While Nessel’s office had not replied to the request at the time of publication, Benson’s office denied the request on April 15 — claiming the requested records fall under exemptions in the state Freedom of Information Act.
In the request, The Federalist explained the information was “expedient to informing the public about the electoral process.” But Benson’s office claimed releasing the records would “interfere with law enforcement proceedings.”
“The Department of State has an ongoing investigation, release of the information would jeopardize this investigation,” officials wrote.
Her office also claimed officials’ “communications and notes … of an advisory nature” were exempt, as “staff would be hesitant to speak frankly and express their views if such views were subject to unrestricted public disclosure under the FOIA.”
“Disclosure of the contents of these records containing opinions, comments, evaluations and observations would have an adverse effect on Department staff’s willingness to make candid assessments and offer advice on a course of action,” officials wrote. “The Department has a strong interest in preserving candid policy making communications which clearly outweigh the public interest in disclosure.”
Logan Washburn is a staff writer covering election integrity. He is a spring 2025 fellow of The College Fix. He graduated from Hillsdale College, served as Christopher Rufo’s editorial assistant, and has bylines in The Wall Street Journal, The Tennessean, and The Daily Caller. Logan is from Central Oregon but now lives in rural Michigan.
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