California resident appears in federal court on noncitizen voting charge

Meryll Quirong Costi, a 36-year-old lawful permanent resident, appeared before a U.S. magistrate in Sacramento on Monday after being charged with a misdemeanor for allegedly registering to vote and casting ballots as a noncitizen. The charge carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison.

Costi turned herself in at 8 a.m., was taken into custody, and was released on her own recognizance pending a scheduled hearing on Nov. 30.

The case is one of 12 new California defendants announced on Monday, adding to 28 similar charges filed last month. Federal prosecutors have brought a total of 63 noncitizen voting cases nationwide in recent weeks, coinciding with the upcoming midterm elections.

"I understand what the allegations are against my client, but both the crime charged and the timing of this prosecution need to be explored," said Costi’s attorney, Kyle Knapp.

The Department of Justice says the prosecutions aim to address voter fraud and protect election integrity, while California officials and the governor have described the actions as an attempt to undermine confidence in the state’s elections.

Costi’s involvement came to the attention of federal investigators after a September interview about her citizenship application, during which she recalled completing a voter registration form but denied knowingly claiming citizenship. FBI agents later questioned her about two mail-in ballots she returned in 2022 and 2024.

The timing of the charges follows recent court rulings that rejected the Justice Department’s request to separate ballots cast by an estimated 20,000 individuals the department alleges may be noncitizens. The Supreme Court and lower federal courts have described the request as unprecedented and an intrusion into state election administration.