The Department of Justice announced criminal charges against 16 individuals across multiple states in connection with alleged voter registration fraud, illegal voting, and other election-related offenses, according to federal authorities. The cases encompass allegations of noncitizens casting ballots in federal elections, making false claims of U.S. citizenship, and submitting false statements related to naturalization. Prosecutors stated that the sweep involves defendants residing in Texas, Idaho, Georgia, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, and Michigan.
Federal officials detailed specific charges against several individuals during the announcement. In Texas, eight noncitizens were charged by the Department of Justice. Among them is 46-year-old Mexican national Monica Carzoli, a lawful permanent resident who was arrested in Del Rio, Texas, after admitting to registering and voting in the November 2024 election, according to the Justice Department. In Georgia, Analiea Milliscent Eccles, a Venezuelan national and DACA recipient, was charged with voting as a noncitizen and falsely claiming U.S. citizenship after allegedly voting nine times between 2008 and 2024. In Idaho, Mexican national Avila Gomez faces charges of falsely claiming citizenship to register and vote in May 2022 and November 2024, alongside wire fraud, identification document, passport, and firearm-related offenses. In New Jersey, lawful permanent resident Santana Coulibaly was charged after allegedly registering in 2016, voting in federal elections in 2018 and 2020, submitting a provisional ballot in 2024, and making false statements on naturalization applications. Additional charges were brought against Nigerian national Gladys Adaeze Okafor, 56, and Colombian national Julieta Englestad, 53, both lawful permanent residents accused of casting illegal ballots in federal elections.
Did You Know? McDonald of the Department of Justice’s Fraud Division stated that the administration’s broader enforcement effort has now resulted in 50 noncitizens being charged with illegal voting.
The investigations also uncovered additional criminal activity. Authorities stated they found alleged passport and identification fraud, wire fraud, and firearm offenses connected to the defendants. McDonald emphasized the government’s stance, telling reporters that “America’s elections are for Americans.” The Department of Justice released a social media warning following the indictments, stating, “Let this be a warning to ANYONE trying to cheat and undermine our elections. Spread the word!”
In a separate interview, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin outlined the scale of the broader ongoing investigation. Mullin stated that officials currently have more than 1,620 open cases, have executed 151 arrests, and are reviewing a growing pool of more than 300,000 suspected cases. Mullin asserted that “every single vote that was at the hands of an illegal [immigrant], canceled out a citizen that was legally registered and able to vote,” calling the situation unacceptable. The Department of Justice noted that all charges announced Friday are accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Scope of the Federal Indictments Across States
The multi-state enforcement action targets alleged electoral violations in seven different jurisdictions. According to federal records, the defendants include individuals at various stages of residency, ranging from lawful permanent residents to DACA recipients and foreign nationals. Investigators utilized citizenship verification and election rolls to uncover instances where noncitizens allegedly registered or cast ballots in the 2008, 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024 federal elections. In addition to illegal voting counts, several indictments include ancillary charges such as wire fraud, passport fraud, and false statements on naturalization paperwork.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people were charged in the Department of Justice announcement?
The Department of Justice announced charges against 16 people across multiple states in connection with alleged illegal voting and voter registration crimes.
What specific states are involved in the current charges?
According to federal authorities, the cases involve defendants residing in Texas, Idaho, Georgia, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, and Michigan.
How many total non-citizens have been charged by the administration regarding illegal voting?
McDonald stated that the administration has charged 50 non-citizens with illegal voting.
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