Non-Citizen Voting Fraud Cases Highlight Election Integrity Concerns

Federal prosecutors have charged a Honduran national with voter fraud in California. The individual allegedly registered under an alias and voted in several elections. Details from the federal indictment reveal he obtained a voter registration card using a gym membership. This case brings attention to ongoing discussions about voter identification laws.

In a separate case, officials announced deportation proceedings for a Bahamian national. This individual, who entered the U.S. during President Gerald Ford’s administration and held a green card, reportedly voted illegally in the 2020 election. The Trump administration has intensified efforts to address election-related crimes.

A statement from the White House emphasized that noncitizens who vote illegally will face arrest and deportation. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) confirmed the illegal voting activity in the 2020 election.

This alien was a guest in our country who forfeited his right to be in the U.S. when he committed these violent crimes and voted in the 2020 election.

HSI’s Atlanta office arrested Anthony Tyrone Higgs in Decatur, Georgia. He is currently held by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Higgs entered the U.S. in 1976 as a lawful permanent resident. Due to his criminal record, the DHS is revoking his immigration status.

Senator Markwayne Mullin detailed Higgs’ criminal history, which includes armed robbery and assault on a police officer. Mullin stressed the impact of even one fraudulent vote on American citizens.

Another case involved Colombian national Carlos Jaramillo-Grajales, who received a three-year prison sentence. He was found guilty of using identity theft to vote in elections over 20 years. A Slovakian national was also discovered to have illegally voted in the 2022 midterms.

In New Jersey and Louisiana, noncitizens have been charged with voting illegally. A Mauritanian national, Mahady Sacko, has faced charges for casting illegal votes since 2008.

HSI and ICE continue to enforce federal immigration laws to protect the integrity of the electoral system. Officials stress the importance of pursuing those who violate these laws.