Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said her agency has sweeping authority related to election security, asserting that the Department of Homeland Security can detect “vulnerabilities” in the voting system and take “mitigation measures” to ensure that state and local elections are “run correctly.”

Speaking at a press conference in Arizona while advocating for a nationwide voter identification requirement, Noem contended that election systems fall under DHS’s responsibility to safeguard “critical infrastructure.”

“I would say that many people believe that it may be one of the most important things that we need to make sure we trust, is reliable, and that when it gets to Election Day, that we’ve been proactive to make sure that we have the right people voting, electing the right leaders to lead this country through the days that we have, knowing that people can trust it,” she said.

Video of her remarks circulated widely on social media Saturday, prompting immediate backlash from Democratic officials and political analysts.

“This is Trump’s idea of democracy: leaders get to select their voters instead of the other way around,” Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) wrote on the social platform X.

The debate comes as the House approved the SAVE America Act on Wednesday, legislation that would require voters in federal elections to present photo identification and provide proof of U.S. citizenship when registering. The bill would also require states to purge non-citizens from their voter rolls if it becomes law.

The measure now heads to the Senate, where similar proposals have previously failed amid Democratic resistance. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) has already signaled opposition, casting uncertainty over its chances.

With the bill’s fate unclear, President Trump indicated Friday that he may act unilaterally if Congress does not move forward.

“There will be Voter I.D. for the Midterm Elections, whether approved by Congress or not!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Opponents argue the proposal threatens access to the ballot box and caution that it could strip voting rights from millions of lawful voters, including married women whose current legal names differ from those listed on older documents such as birth certificates or passports.

Noem rejected those concerns during remarks on Friday.

“Each of the arguments laid out to criticize this bill are baseless speculation from the radical left because they want illegal aliens to vote in our elections,” she said.

In recent weeks, Noem has also faced criticism over her comments tied to immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota, particularly after she quickly labeled the actions of two U.S. citizens who were fatally shot by federal agents as “domestic terrorism.”

President Trump has continued to stand by Noem despite bipartisan calls for her resignation or dismissal. David Axelrod, a former adviser to President Barack Obama, suggested on X that her stance on election oversight may help explain that support.

“THIS is why @KristiNoem will remain in place, despite her flagrant, corrupt mismanagement of the @DHS, at least through the midterm elections,” he wrote. “@POTUS wants a loyal apparatchik in place who will do whatever is necessary to ensure ‘the right leaders’ win.”