Federal prosecutors announced the first arrest Friday in a widening election fraud investigation, charging a Honduran national in Los Angeles with felony voter registration offenses. The case, initiated under the Trump administration, is being highlighted by the White House as evidence against critics who have questioned the existence of such fraud.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli stated that Darwin Jonathan Rivera-Flores, who is not a U.S. citizen, faces charges including fraudulent voter registration and falsely claiming U.S. citizenship. While Rivera-Flores did not vote in an election, the charges stem from his alleged registration attempts. He could face deportation if convicted.
The U.S. Attorney's office renewed its call for California to conduct a comprehensive audit of its voter rolls, citing the case as evidence of potential vulnerabilities. "Today’s arrest is the first of many to come," Essayli said in a statement. "Unfortunately, because states like California allow non-citizens to easily register to vote and receive a ballot by mail, there’s no telling how many non-citizens are currently registered to vote."
The White House echoed this sentiment, with spokeswoman Lauren Bis telling Fox News Digital, "Despite the media and Democrats claiming it never happens, the evidence of non-citizens registering to vote in our elections continues to pile up."
Rivera-Flores, who entered the U.S. during the George W. Bush administration and held a green card, was previously charged with a misdemeanor for disrupting immigration law enforcement. The affidavit details alleged taunting text messages he sent to a Homeland Security Investigations agent.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon affirmed that noncitizens who commit fraud to vote in American elections violate federal law and will be prosecuted, stating, "Let this criminal complaint serve as a reminder that the Justice Department stands ready to enforce the laws Congress enacted to ensure only American citizens vote in federal elections."
The case emerges as California voters are set to decide in November on potential new voter identification and citizenship verification requirements. Current state law requires voters to affirm their citizenship under penalty of perjury when registering.