Trump Administration Launches Investigation Into Arizona's 2020 Election

Homeland Security Investigations looking into 2020 results despite prior findings of no widespread fraud

Mar. 11, 2026 at 6:49pm

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The Department of Homeland Security's investigations arm, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), has opened an investigation into the 2020 election results in Arizona, according to the state's attorney general Kris Mayes and a source familiar with the matter. This is an unusual move, as HSI typically investigates transnational crimes like drug smuggling and human trafficking, not election results. The investigation comes six years after the 2020 election and despite a previous investigation by the Arizona Attorney General's office that found no evidence of widespread fraud.

Why it matters

The Trump administration's decision to open this investigation into the 2020 election results in Arizona, despite a lack of evidence of widespread fraud, is seen by many as a continuation of the former president's efforts to undermine confidence in the electoral process. This could further polarize the political landscape and raise concerns about the integrity of US elections.

The details

According to Mayes, a Democrat, the Arizona Attorney General's office previously conducted a 10,000-hour investigation into every claim made by 'election deniers' and found no evidence to support allegations of fraud. Mayes said the office provided public records from that investigation to HSI at the agency's request. The investigation also comes after the Trump administration subpoenaed records related to the Arizona state Senate's audit of Maricopa County's 2020 election results, which ultimately affirmed Biden's victory in the county.

  • The investigation was opened in March 2026, six years after the 2020 presidential election.
  • In February 2026, outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited an HSI office in Arizona and was asked by reporters to identify cases of voter fraud in the state, to which she responded, 'I'm sure there are many of them,' without providing specifics.

The players

Kris Mayes

The current attorney general of Arizona, a Democrat, who confirmed the HSI investigation and stated that a previous investigation by the Arizona Attorney General's office found no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election.

Kristi Noem

The outgoing Homeland Security Secretary who visited an HSI office in Arizona in February 2026 and was asked to identify cases of voter fraud, to which she responded, 'I'm sure there are many of them,' without providing specifics.

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What’s next

It is unclear if the HSI investigation is connected to a subpoena from the Trump administration for records related to the 2020 election in Arizona's Maricopa County. The Maricopa County Elections office and the Maricopa County Recorder's Office have stated they have not received any subpoenas.

The takeaway

This investigation by the Trump administration's Homeland Security Investigations unit into the 2020 election results in Arizona, despite a lack of evidence of widespread fraud, is seen by many as a continued effort to undermine confidence in the electoral process. It raises concerns about the politicization of election integrity and the potential for further polarization of the political landscape.