Macomb Clerk "Alarmed" -- Noncitizens Slipping through Cracks in Voter Rolls and Jury Pools

By Kristine Christlieb, MFEI News & Commentary Editor

January 14, 2026

In a Monday press release and press conference, Macomb County Clerk Anthony G. Forlini dropped a bomb that got the attention of Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon.

Forlini revealed his office investigated 239 noncitizens summoned for jury duty over a four-month period and learned fourteen of them had registered to vote in Michigan, and at least three cast ballots. One voted multiple times.

Based on cross-checks against the state's Qualified Voter File (QVF), the convergence of noncitizens in both the voter and jury pools brings into sharp focus the problems associated with Michigan's automatic voter registration and jury pool selection tied to driver's licenses.

Forlini, the former Republican state representative now running for Michigan secretary of state, had the fervor of a new convert and didn't mince words at his courthouse jury room presser. He said his review exposed how the Secretary of State's driver's license database keeps failing to tag noncitizens for what they are . . . ineligible for juries and ballots.

Forlini told attendees, "Noncitizens are coming through at an alarming rate," He claimed noncitizens slip through because citizenship was not flagged in the Secretary of State database.

Forlini pins the problem on the opt-out registration checkbox during the license application process. A simple "yes" to "I am a U.S. citizen" gets rubber-stamped by the system and puts people in line for voting and jury service.

Democrat Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has long claimed noncitizen voting is a myth. When a Chinese student admitted he voted illegally, she was forced to investigate; and in April 2025, reluctantly acknowledged 15 other noncitizens voted in the 2024 election. [Watch for more on the 15 noncitizen voters on Monday, January 19.]

Harmeet Dhillon Lights a Fuse on X: "Someone’s Definitely Gonna Touch It"

During Forlini's press announcement, one of his staff members reported her conversation with Benson's team, who, she said, shrugged off the Macomb County clerk's investigation with, "We're not gonna touch this."

Dave Bondy promoted the comment on X . . . and KABOOM! It got the attention of Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice's (DOJ) Civil Rights Division. In an effort to clean up voter rolls, Dillon is the DOJ official who has been suing states, including Michigan, for access to their voter database systems.

Bondy's post racked up thousands of views with Dhillon replying on Tuesday night. She quipped: "Well … someone’s definitely gonna touch it!"

Here's one zinger post from Happy dogs @dynobitesme: "Welcome to Michigan @AAGDhillon—we are excited for you to show the SOS how the laws work! Maybe you can knit her some handcuffs!!"

Michigan voters, both Democrats and Republicans, are united in believing only citizens should vote. All Michigan clerks would do well to follow Forlini's example and identify the noncitizens on their voter rolls and in their jury pools. Our elections and our system of justice are at stake.

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