Justice Department Charges Over Two Dozen in California Voter Fraud Sweep

Federal authorities arrested more than two dozen foreign nationals in California on Monday, accusing them of illegally registering and voting in U.S. elections. The sweep, dubbed Operation Protect the Vote, is part of a Trump administration effort to identify and prosecute noncitizens who have voted in federal elections.

The Justice Department stated that all individuals arrested are lawful permanent residents who are not U.S. citizens and therefore are not permitted to vote. They face charges including making false statements on naturalization applications and submitting fraudulent voter registrations.

This action follows a period of increased scrutiny by the federal government on voter rolls. The Justice Department has prioritized noncitizen voting this year, requesting detailed voter information from states. Prior to Monday's sweep, the department had charged approximately 90 individuals for election misconduct, including about 50 alleged cases of noncitizen voting.

The arrests also highlight an ongoing dispute between the Justice Department and California. Last week, the department sued the state to prevent it from counting mail-in ballots from individuals identified as "likely" noncitizens until their immigration status could be confirmed. The lawsuit was filed after California officials did not meet a 48-hour deadline to review a thumb drive containing a list of 20,000 names. The federal government claims these individuals are likely noncitizens who were sent ballots, while the California Secretary of State stated no evidence supported this claim.

Additionally, the Justice Department issued a warning last week stating that state election officials who knowingly process ballots cast by noncitizen voters could face investigation. The letter, addressed to the Los Angeles County Counsel's office and copied to state and local election officials, warned that knowingly facilitating or ignoring federal crimes carries significant legal consequences, potentially making officials accessories to a federal crime.

In response, Los Angeles County Registrar Dean Logan stated his office is focused on conducting a fair and secure election and that the Justice Department's assertions should be addressed in court. The number of registered voters in California exceeds 23 million. Nationally, there were over 227 million registered voters in the U.S. during the 2024 presidential election.