The U.S. Department of Justice demanded all paper ballots from Wayne County's 2024 presidential election, prompting sharp rebukes from Michigan's top Democratic officials.

On April 14, Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division, sent a letter to Wayne County Clerk Cathy Garrett requesting every ballot, including absentee and provisional ones, along with ballot receipts and envelopes. The 14-day deadline aims to verify compliance with federal election laws under statutes like the Civil Rights Act of 1960.

The DOJ cited a "history of fraud convictions" and past allegations in Wayne County, Michigan's largest and most Democratic county, home to Detroit. It referenced three individual voter fraud cases unrelated to 2024 and a failed 2020 lawsuit. Noncompliance could lead to a court order.

Wayne County processed 864,767 ballots in November 2024, with Kamala Harris receiving 62% and Donald Trump 33%. Trump secured Michigan statewide by 1.4 percentage points, flipping it from 2020.

The county's ballots are held by 43 local clerks, not centrally by Garrett. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel released the letter Friday and responded that it relies on "rejected claims and stale allegations unconnected to Wayne County’s November 2024 election." She accused President Trump of "weaponizing the Justice Department" to "sabotage our democratic process."

Governor Gretchen Whitmer described the move as "a poorly disguised attempt to justify more doubt and misinformation about our elections as well as direct federal interference." Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said it seeks to "sow seeds of doubt about the legitimacy of the results this November and in 2028," adding, "We won’t be intimidated by these tactics."

In an op-ed, Nessel and Benson argued the demand lacks probable cause required for subpoenas or warrants, predicting courts will reject it based on prior dismissals of similar claims. They pledged to defend local clerks and the state election authority.

Wayne County has faced scrutiny since 2020, when Trump lost narrowly there and urged canvassers not to certify results, labeling Detroit "crooked." A 2021 Republican-led Senate report found no widespread fraud. Trump repeated concerns in 2024, alleging corruption in Detroit.

The request follows DOJ efforts for Michigan voter rolls, dismissed by a Trump-appointed judge in February, and a Georgia raid. No new 2024 fraud evidence has surfaced publicly.

Michigan officials maintain the 2024 election was secure, with no indications of compliance as the deadline approaches.