The US Department of Justice announced federal charges on Monday, 19 October, against 28 lawful permanent residents in California, alleging they fraudulently registered to vote and, in several cases, cast ballots despite not holding US citizenship.
The crackdown, dubbed Operation Protect the Vote, involved all four federal US Attorney’s offices in California. Authorities confirmed the arrest of 11 individuals on Monday, while an official press release did not clarify the arrest status of the remaining 17 defendants.
The defendants hold permanent resident cards, commonly known as green cards, which allow them to legally live and work in the United States but do not grant them the right to vote in federal elections.
The charges include making false statements on naturalisation applications, fraudulent voter registration, and illegal voting. Some of the alleged offences carry maximum sentences of up to five years in federal prison, while others carry up to one year.
What the Department of Justice reported about the 28 accused residents
According to the official statement, the defendants falsely claimed to be US citizens when filling out voter registration forms. In many instances, their applications were approved, and they subsequently cast ballots in various elections.
According to the official statement, the defendants falsely claimed to be US citizens when filling out voter registration forms. Photo: Fox News
Authorities contend that several of those under investigation also concealed these actions when applying for US citizenship by falsely stating under oath that they had never claimed to be citizens or voted in an election.
Among those named is Omar Alexander Muñoz, a 72-year-old Belizean citizen residing in Commerce, accused of fraudulently registering in 2019 and voting in the 2020, 2022, and 2024 elections.
Also charged is Amandeep Kaur, a 30-year-old Indian citizen living in Rancho Palos Verdes, accused of registering in December 2022 and voting in the November 2024 presidential election.
Another defendant, Erick Ronaldo Soto Mendizábal, a 64-year-old Guatemalan national, allegedly voted in the 2024 general election and later provided false information during his naturalisation process.
The investigations were conducted by multiple federal agencies, including the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Criminal charges are allegations that must be proven in court. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The battle between the Trump administration and California over elections
The announcement comes amid a clash between the Donald Trump administration and California election officials, just weeks ahead of the November midterm elections.
On 15 October, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the state to block certain mail-in ballots from being counted until voter citizenship is verified.
According to the federal government, state officials were provided with a list of more than 20,000 registered voters who may not be US citizens.
“Every single one of today’s 28 defendants appears on the list of over 20,000 potential non-citizen voters we provided to California election officials last week,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Trent McCotter.
On 15 October, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the state to block certain mail-in ballots from being counted until voter citizenship is verified. Photo: Christopher Lee/Bloomberg
He argued that California must verify the citizenship of those individuals before counting their votes.
Principal Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli stated: “Today’s arrests prove what we have been saying all along.” He also accused the state of mailing ballots to individuals ineligible to vote.
The Trump administration had previously warned that election officials who process votes from suspected non-citizens could face investigations and potential criminal prosecution.
However, the federal government’s identification of potential non-citizen voters has raised questions. Officials have not publicly explained how they compiled the list of more than 20,000 names.
What happens when permanent residents vote without citizenship
In the United States, holding a green card is not equivalent to citizenship. Permanent residents can lawfully live and work in the country, but they are not permitted to vote in federal elections.
Furthermore, falsely claiming US citizenship can carry severe criminal and immigration consequences, particularly when such claims are made to register to vote or during naturalisation proceedings.
The Department of Justice stated that investigations will continue in coordination with the FBI, HSI, and USCIS.
While the Trump administration presented the charges as part of its crackdown on voter fraud, available studies indicate that voting by non-citizens is extremely rare.