Macomb County Clerk Anthony G. Forlini has announced that noncitizens have been appearing in the county’s jury pool at what he described as an “alarming rate.”
Forlini also revealed that internal data suggests some may have also registered to vote, and even cast ballots, illegally.
Speaking during a press conference inside the courthouse jury room in Mount Clemens, Michigan, Forlini said a four-month internal review identified 239 noncitizens selected for jury duty between September 5, 2025, and January 8, 2026.
“This was just one county in Michigan over a four-month period,” Forlini said, warning that the issue could be far more widespread statewide.
Jury Pool Drawn from Driver’s License Database
Forlini explained that Macomb County’s jury pool is generated from the Michigan Secretary of State’s driver’s license database, which does not consistently flag citizenship status.
As a result, noncitizens, such as lawful permanent residents, can be swept into jury selection, despite being legally ineligible to serve under Michigan law.
After cross-checking the 239 noncitizens against the state’s Qualified Voter File (QVF), Forlini’s office found that 14 had been registered to vote at some point.
Of those, three appear to have voted, including one individual who voted multiple times, according to the clerk.
The three cases involving apparent voting activity have been referred to the county Corporation Counsel for consideration of felony charges.
Automatic Registration Raises Additional Concerns
Forlini said the problem is exacerbated by Michigan’s automatic voter registration system, which registers individuals when they apply for a driver’s license unless they opt out.
He noted that the process relies heavily on self-reporting and may be confusing, particularly for applicants facing language barriers.
“Non-citizens are coming through at an alarming rate,” Forlini said.
“Our jury service summons are based on random draws from the driver’s license bank.
“Frequently, non-citizens slip through because citizenship was not flagged in the Secretary of State database.”
He warned that allowing noncitizens to serve on juries could undermine the integrity of the judicial system, while illegal registrations and votes threaten election integrity.
Calls for Federal Verification and Data Sharing
Forlini urged the state to verify voter and jury eligibility against federal databases and called for improved data-sharing mechanisms.
“We must find a way for the Driver’s License database to confirm citizenship,” he said.
“If this is not addressed, we risk compromising our jury trials and our elections.”
He suggested leveraging new technology to link databases so citizenship can be reliably verified across systems.
WATCH:
The issue has drawn bipartisan attention.
Former Michigan Secretary of State Candice Miller and State Rep. Joe Aragona, both Republicans, have voiced support for legislative review.
Secretary of State Pushback
A member of the Macomb County Clerk’s office said during the press conference that Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, declined to act when presented with evidence of noncitizens appearing on jury lists and voter rolls.
“We’re not gonna touch this,” Bensen told officials.
Benson, who is running for governor, has also refused to turn over unredacted voter data to the U.S. Department of Justice, arguing that “nobody—not the president, the DOJ or any other federal agency—has the right to your sensitive, private voter information.”
Critics note that Benson has shared voter roll data with nongovernmental organizations such as ERIC and Rock the Vote, raising questions about the consistency of her privacy claims.
The Justice Department has sued 23 states and Washington, D.C., for failing to comply with requests for voter roll data.
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon has argued that access to full voter registration data is essential to prevent vote dilution and ensure that only eligible citizens are on the rolls.
“Why won’t they cooperate and let us help them clean up the rolls?!” Dhillon posted on X on Monday.
“What else are they hiding?!”
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