US Targets Immigrants Seeking Citizenship in Voter Fraud Crackdown

Federal authorities in California have charged more than two dozen legal permanent residents this week as part of a crackdown on alleged voter fraud. Many of those targeted had applied for U.S. citizenship and now face charges for lying on application forms or during interviews, potentially leading to prison sentences and jeopardizing their naturalization efforts.

The charges stem from allegations of illegally voting or attempting to register to vote. While immigrants convicted of illegal voting face up to a year in prison, those found guilty of lying on their naturalization applications could be imprisoned for up to a decade and face deportation.

Among those charged is José Antonio Bañuelos-Díaz, 42, a legal permanent resident of 40 years who applied for citizenship in October 2025. He is accused of improperly claiming citizenship in 2007 when registering to vote and later lying on his immigration paperwork. Bañuelos-Díaz told The Associated Press that he had no idea he had registered to vote and believes any mistake should have been addressed promptly, not two decades later. He faces up to five years if convicted.

Federal authorities have filed charging documents in 10 of the 28 cases, detailing how voter registration data was used to pursue criminal charges related to immigration status. Most of the charged immigrants have resided in the U.S. for at least five years, some for decades.

In one instance, Pamele Arbues Line was arrested following her naturalization interview in San Diego. Prosecutors allege she registered to vote five times and submitted ballots in several elections, while denying having ever voted or claimed U.S. citizenship on her paperwork and in interviews. Line reportedly admitted to registering to vote while renewing her driver's license and voting once, believing she was a U.S. citizen due to her mother's naturalization decades prior.

These cases are part of an effort to identify noncitizen voting, although data indicates such instances are rare and have not demonstrably impacted election outcomes. The Department of Justice has previously sued California over its compliance with requests to verify the citizenship of registered voters, with state officials arguing the administration's numbers are likely inflated and that state procedures comply with federal law.

The Trump administration has also intensified immigration enforcement and slowed the approval of naturalization applications. Government data shows a significant decrease in approved naturalization applications between 2025 and 2026.

Applicants for U.S. citizenship undergo extensive vetting, including questions about voting and political activities, background checks, and civics tests. Homeland Security investigations, including audits of immigration benefits, initiated the process leading to these recent charges. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli stated that the voting rights of citizens must be protected.