DOJ charges 28 green‑card holders in California with illegal voting
The Department of Justice on Monday filed federal charges against 28 green‑card holders in California for allegedly registering to vote and casting ballots despite not being U.S. citizens.
U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli described the sweep as part of “Operation Protect the Vote,” saying the government arrested 11 of the defendants early that morning and expected the remaining individuals to be taken into custody soon.
“Today’s part of Operation Protect the Vote. We are announcing charges against 28 non‑citizens who illegally registered to vote, and many of whom actually voted in prior elections,” Essayli said at a press conference.
Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter added that at least eight of the defendants are accused of voting more than once, including some who allegedly cast ballots in the 2026 primary.
The indictment lists a range of alleged wrongdoing, including unlawful voting by an alien, false statements made to obtain citizenship, and depriving California residents of a fair election process.
One highlighted case involves 72‑year‑old Alexander Muñoz, a Belizean national who, according to the New York Post, fraudulently registered in September 2019, voted in the 2020 election, twice in 2022, and again in 2024, and also lied on his naturalization application.
Another defendant, Indian national Mandeep Kaur, allegedly registered in 2022, swore under penalty of perjury that she was a U.S. citizen, voted in person, and later submitted false statements on a citizenship application.
The DOJ’s action follows a broader lawsuit against California, accusing the state of failing to purge roughly 20,000 non‑citizen registrations from its voter rolls. Prosecutors say they provided a password‑protected thumb drive to Los Angeles County containing the names of individuals they believe were improperly mailed absentee ballots.
Legal experts note the financial and logistical burden of such prosecutions. Federal estimates place the cost of bringing each defendant to trial at around $100,000, a figure that strains already limited resources for election integrity cases.
With the November 3 general election approaching, the case underscores the tension between federal enforcement priorities and California’s expansive voting policies, which include mail‑in ballots for all registered voters and no photo‑ID requirement.
The next steps include arraignments for the seized defendants and continued litigation over the disputed voter rolls, as the Justice Department seeks to enforce citizenship requirements for voting across the state.
