In an ongoing effort to tighten voter eligibility scrutiny, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has requested the assistance of Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson in acquiring citizenship data from the Biden administration. This information would be used to verify the credentials of registered voters who the state is currently unable to confirm as eligible. In Paxton’s view, certain federal laws may impede the state’s efforts directly but also obligate the federal government to assist in maintaining the integrity of voter registration.

According to an official release from the Texas Attorney General’s office, Paxton emphasized, "Although it is a crime for a non-citizen to register to vote, federal law restricts states from requiring proof of citizenship, and state agencies like those we lead have limited means to verify voter citizenship in many cases. But those same laws place obligations on the federal government to help us identify potential non-citizen voters." This move is perceived as an effort to tighten election security, a contentious issue within Texas and across the nation. Paxton’s letter showcased a drive to fully utilize the Secretary of State's legal authority mandated to oversee the electoral integrity in Texas.

The letter underscored the limitations faced by state agencies like those led by Paxton to verify voter eligibility, yet it contends that the federal government has an active role to play in aiding states in this process. "The Office of the Secretary of State possesses the legal authority to demand the federal government do its job in helping states maintain the integrity of their voter rolls," Paxton wrote, as mentioned by the Texas Attorney General’s office.

This request to the Texas Secretary of State is set against a backdrop of heightened scrutiny of voter registration practices, with debates centered around both election security and voter disenfranchisement. Paxton has attached a letter for Nelson’s consideration that would formally demand the federal assistance: "I have attached a letter for your consideration that would demand the federal government’s assistance in verifying the citizenship of a relatively small percentage of currently registered voters that registered to vote through means by which citizenship cannot be confirmed," looking to address what some see as potential vulnerabilities in the electoral system, as detailed by the Texas Attorney General’s office.