BOMBSHELL: DOJ Charges 48 Foreign Nationals With Illegal Voting Just Days Before the Midterms. How Many More Are Out There?

The Trump Justice Department has announced charges against 48 foreign nationals accused of illegally voting, fraudulently registering to vote, or making false statements about their voting histories.

The cases span California, Florida, Nevada, New York, and Pennsylvania and come days before the November 3 midterm elections.

California accounts for 28 defendants, followed by Pennsylvania with nine, Florida with six, New York with four and Nevada with one, according to the figures in the original draft.

The overwhelming majority of those charged—47 of the 48—are lawful permanent residents. One defendant is alleged to be living in the United States unlawfully.

The announcement is drawing fresh attention to a basic principle of election integrity: American citizens should decide American elections.

In one Pennsylvania case, a defendant is accused of voting in five federal elections—2016, 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024—before becoming a U.S. citizen.

In another case, a 72-year-old Belizean national is accused of registering to vote in 2019 while claiming to be an American citizen, then casting ballots in multiple elections.

A Guatemalan national is accused of registering to vote in California in 2017 and casting ballots in the 2022 primary and the 2024 general election.

Other defendants allegedly made false statements during the naturalization process after registering or voting. Some face misdemeanor charges, while others face felony counts involving alleged false statements or false claims of citizenship.

The defendants come from a range of countries, including Mexico, Canada, the Philippines, Cambodia, India, Poland, Israel, Russia and Cuba.

Federal law generally prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections. State and local rules vary, although noncitizens are ineligible to vote in state elections and most local elections.

The fact that most of the defendants are green card holders raises questions about whether voter registration systems are doing enough to identify ineligible applicants before ballots are cast.

For Americans who have called for stronger citizenship verification, the cases show why election rules must be enforced and why suspected violations should be investigated.