DOJ arrests over two dozen foreign nationals in California voter-registration sweep
Federal prosecutors charged 28 lawful permanent residents in California with false voter registrations and illegal voting, part of a nationwide operation targeting non-citizen voting ahead of the 2025 midterm elections.
Federal authorities in California arrested 28 foreign nationals on Monday, charging them with making false statements on naturalization applications and submitting fraudulent voter registrations. The arrests were announced as part of "Operation Protect the Vote," a Justice Department effort to address alleged non-citizen voting before the upcoming midterm elections.
Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter said the case "causes real damage to real elections and real damage to American citizens" during a news conference in Los Angeles. California Attorney General Rob Bonta responded that voter fraud in the state is rare, describing isolated incidents as "a drop in the bucket" among 23 million registered voters.
The Justice Department accused California officials of facilitating non-citizen voting by failing to maintain accurate voter rolls and by withholding information from the public. The department has sued the state to prevent the counting of mail ballots from individuals it deems "likely" non-citizens until their immigration status can be verified.
Among those charged were a 72-year-old Belize-born man alleged to have voted in four elections, a 67-year-old Indian national who allegedly registered and voted on Election Day, and a 46-year-old Mexican national accused of fraudulent registrations in 2018 and 2022. The operation involved the four U.S. attorney’s offices in California and was described by the Justice Department as a statewide show of force.
The DOJ has filed paperwork seeking a court order to set aside ballots from suspected non-citizens and to verify their citizenship status before tabulation. In a warning letter to state election officials, McCotter emphasized that knowingly processing such ballots could expose officials to federal prosecution as aiders and abettors.
Los Angeles County Registrar Dean Logan said his office remains focused on conducting a fair and secure election and suggested that the dispute be resolved in court.