HOUSTON, Texas – Five non-U.S. citizens from Trinidad and Tobago, Nigeria and Mexico are facing federal charges for allegedly voting illegally in U.S. elections, lying on immigration documents or falsely claiming American citizenship, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas announced Friday.
U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz said the cases reflect his office’s commitment to protecting the electoral process.
“Free, fair, and honest elections — unmarred by fraud, errors, or illegality — are fundamental to a healthy constitutional republic,” Reitz said. “To that end, we are always on the hunt for bad actors meddling in our elections. I’m proud to defend Americans’ cherished right to vote and the integrity of our American institutions. American elections are for Americans only, and these foreigners will be brought to justice.”
Who is charged
Ali Khan, 33, of La Porte, is a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient and citizen of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. He is the only defendant in the group who is in the country illegally.
The remaining four defendants are or were lawful permanent residents but are not U.S. citizens, which prohibits them from voting in American elections. They include Mohammed Omar Hassan, 61, a Houston resident and citizen of Nigeria; Diego Benavides Rodriguez, 29, of Laredo; Jose Vasquez-Mendoza, 51, of Port Isabel; and Karen Hinojosa-Martinez, 37, of McAllen — all Mexican citizens.
What they are accused of
Khan and Hassan are each charged in Houston with voting by an alien in a federal election. Vasquez-Mendoza and Rodriguez face charges out of the Brownsville and Laredo offices, respectively. Rodriguez faces an additional charge of falsely claiming U.S. citizenship.
A McAllen grand jury returned a separate indictment against Hinojosa-Martinez for lying on immigration documents after allegedly casting a ballot in a federal election.
Prosecutors allege Khan, Hassan and Rodriguez each voted illegally in the 2024 election. Hassan is also accused of voting in 2022. Vasquez-Mendoza allegedly voted unlawfully in the 2022 special election for Texas Congressional District 34.
Potential penalties
Rodriguez and Hinojosa-Martinez each face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted on charges of falsely claiming U.S. citizenship or lying on immigration documents. Rodriguez also faces an additional maximum one year in prison and a $10,000 fine on the illegal voting charge — the same maximum penalties that apply to Khan, Hassan and Vasquez-Mendoza.
John A. Pasciucco, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in San Antonio, said the agency will continue pursuing cases like these.
“Voting in U.S. elections is a right reserved for U.S. citizens, and Homeland Security Investigations will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of unlawful voting,” Pasciucco said. “We are committed to protecting the integrity of the electoral process and ensuring that those who violate federal law are held accountable.”
The FBI and HSI conducted the investigation with assistance from the Texas Attorney General’s Office and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
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