Justice Department Charges 16 in Alleged Illegal Voting Schemes Across Multiple States
Charges include noncitizen voting, voter registration fraud, and false claims of citizenship in connection with 2022 and 2024 elections.
The Department of Justice announced charges against 16 individuals across multiple states in connection with alleged illegal voting, voter registration fraud, and other election-related crimes. The charges stem from alleged actions during the 2022 and 2024 elections and include cases where noncitizens are accused of casting ballots in federal elections.
The DOJ issued a public warning, stating that some defendants allegedly voted in the 2022 and 2024 elections and cautioned others against attempting to participate illegally in U.S. elections. "Let this be a warning to ANYONE trying to cheat and undermine our elections," the department posted on social media.
Of the 16 individuals charged, eight noncitizens residing in Texas are among those accused. Additional cases involve defendants in Idaho, Georgia, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, and Michigan. The allegations encompass noncitizens voting in federal elections, making false claims of U.S. citizenship to register or vote, and providing false information related to naturalization.
During the investigations, authorities also uncovered alleged passport and identification fraud, wire fraud, and firearm-related offenses. The Justice Department stated that these cases are part of a broader enforcement effort targeting illegal voting and election-related crimes.
Specific cases highlighted include Analiea Milliscent Eccles, a Venezuelan national and DACA recipient accused of voting nine times between 2008 and 2024 in Georgia. Avila Gomez, a Mexican national living in Idaho, is accused of falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to register and vote in the May 2022 and November 2024 elections, with additional charges including wire fraud and passport and firearm offenses. Santana Coulibaly, a lawful permanent resident in New Jersey, is alleged to have registered to vote in 2016 and voted in federal elections in 2018 and 2020, also submitting a provisional ballot in the 2024 presidential election. Allegations against her also involve statements made in her naturalization applications.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the DOJ's Fraud Division noted that under the Trump administration, 50 non-citizens have been charged with illegal voting. "America's elections are for Americans," McDonald stated.
In a separate statement, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin indicated that a broader investigation is ongoing. He reported that officials have over 1,620 open cases, have made 151 arrests, and are examining more than 300,000 suspected cases, a number he stated continues to grow. Mullin asserted that each vote cast by an noncitizen cancels out a vote from a legally registered citizen.
The Justice Department emphasized that the charges are accusations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.