The Department of Justice is facing allegations that it misrepresented how it handles voter registration data during recent court proceedings, according to reports from federal court filings.

The acting head of the DOJ's voting section reportedly told a federal judge last week that the agency had not accessed or used nonpublic voter roll data that it has collected. However, this statement has been challenged as inaccurate by sources familiar with the agency's data handling practices.

The controversy comes amid reports of voter registration irregularities affecting elected officials. New York State Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi, a Democrat representing Queens, discovered that his voter registration had been changed without his knowledge or consent. Hevesi, who has been registered as a Democrat throughout his political career, was informed of the unauthorized change to his party affiliation.

The incidents raise questions about the security and integrity of voter registration systems, particularly regarding who has access to modify voter records and under what circumstances. Federal and state agencies routinely maintain and update voter rolls as part of election administration duties.

The DOJ has not immediately responded to requests for comment regarding the court testimony or its voter data collection practices. The agency's voting section typically oversees enforcement of federal voting rights laws and election-related investigations.