Press Releases

Congressman Mark Alford (MO-04) led a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel urging a federal investigation into reports of illegal aliens being employed to collect signatures for Missouri ballot initiatives, which was first uncovered by Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway. The letter was also signed by Reps. Ann Wagner (MO-02) and Bob Onder (MO-03).

These allegations demand an investigation because they involve potential serious violations federal immigration and employment laws, federal election and campaign statutes, and federal criminal codes.

Read the full letter here or below:

“Dear Attorney General Bondi and Director Patel,

“I write to express serious concern and request immediate federal attention regarding reports from Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway that out-of-state petition operations active in Missouri may be employing individuals who do not have lawful authorization to work in the United States. These allegations raise significant questions about potential violations of federal immigration and employment laws, federal election and campaign statutes, and federal criminal codes.

“According to Attorney General Hanaway, there is growing concern that out-of-state petition operations in Missouri may be using individuals who lack legal authorization to work in the United States to collect signatures for ballot initiatives. If accurate, this raises the alarming possibility that Missouri elections and constitutional amendments could be influenced or even determined by signatures gathered by individuals who are not permitted to work in this country and who may be compensated by out-of-state actors. This situation threatens the integrity of Missouri’s election process and raises serious questions regarding compliance with federal law.

“These concerns implicate a broad range of potential federal violations. Possible issues include unlawful employment of individuals who lack work authorization, improper documentation practices, I-9 related violations, and misclassification of workers. Election and petition activities carried out by individuals who are not authorized to work may also implicate federal statutes governing campaign finance, expenditures, and disclosure. There is additional concern that such activity could involve fraudulent identification documents or coordinated efforts to employ unauthorized workers for the purpose of influencing election outcomes in the state of Missouri.

“Given the seriousness of these concerns, I respectfully request your assistance in investigating any potential criminal violations related to potential unlawful employment of illegal aliens in regards to efforts to collect signatures in Missouri.

“Missourians deserve assurance that elections in their state are conducted lawfully and free from unlawful outside influence. These concerns require prompt attention, and I respectfully request written updates from both the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation no later than 90 days from the date of this letter.”

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