Justice Department charges 16 across multiple states with alleged illegal voting, election crimes
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced charges against 16 people in multiple states in connection with alleged illegal voting, voter registration and other election-related crimes, including cases involving noncitizens accused of casting ballots in federal elections.
DOJ followed the announcement with a warning on social media, saying some of those charged allegedly voted in the 2022 and 2024 elections, and warning others against attempting to illegally participate in U.S. elections.
"Let this be a warning to ANYONE trying to cheat and undermine our elections," the DOJ wrote. "Spread the word!"
According to DOJ, eight non-citizens residing in Texas were charged, while the other cases involved defendants in Idaho, Georgia, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey and Michigan.
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The allegations include noncitizens voting in federal elections, false claims of U.S. citizenship to register or vote, and false statements related to naturalization.
During the investigations, the DOJ said authorities also uncovered alleged passport and identification fraud, wire fraud and firearm-related offenses.
The cases are part of a broader Trump administration enforcement effort targeting alleged illegal voting and election-related crimes.
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In Georgia, DOJ said Analiea Milliscent Eccles, a Venezuelan national and DACA recipient, voted nine times between 2008 and 2024. She was charged with voting as a noncitizen and falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to vote.
Avila Gomez, a Mexican national residing in Idaho, is accused of falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to register to vote and then voting in May 2022 and November 2024. The indictment also includes wire fraud, passport, identification-document and firearm-related charges.
DOJ said Santana Coulibaly, a lawful permanent resident in New Jersey, registered to vote in 2016, voted in federal elections in 2018 and 2020 and submitted a provisional ballot in the 2024 presidential election. She also faces allegations involving statements made in her naturalization applications.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the DOJ's Fraud Division told Fox News that the Trump administration has now charged 50 non-citizens with illegal voting.
"America's elections are for Americans," McDonald said.
In a separate interview, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin said a broader investigation was underway.
Mullin said officials have more than 1,620 open cases and have made 151 arrests. He also said authorities are looking into more than 300,000 suspected cases, a figure he said continues to grow.
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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."
"One is too many, but the fact that we have 300,000 cases we're looking into right now and 1,620 cases that are under investigation, and 151 arrests is unacceptable," Mullin said.
The Justice Department noted that the charges announced Friday are accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.