With the 2026 midterm elections days away, election integrity is top of mind across the country.
The federal government continues to investigate reports of voter fraud and is arresting and prosecuting illegal aliens and noncitizens caught voting in American elections.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has arrested dozens of illegal immigrants and non-citizens suspected of committing election-related offenses in recent weeks, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced this week. Even more concerning, several of them have criminal histories.
The cases indicate that President Donald Trump had valid concerns about election fraud amid the massive mail-in ballot push in the 2020 election.
Trump administration officials and Republican lawmakers also maintain Democratic-controlled states have allowed illegal immigrants to register to vote, along with obtaining driver’s licenses and other benefits, in an effort to sway American elections.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said some of the illegal immigrants have criminal histories, including assault with a dangerous weapon, domestic violence, drug trafficking, burglary and driving under the influence.
“The Trump Administration will not allow illegal aliens to steal the votes of hardworking American citizens,” Mullin said. “American elections are for Americans only.”
Federal investigators have uncovered numerous cases of foreign nationals who committed voter fraud in California, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Florida.
They have been hit with federal charges or pleaded guilty to unlawfully registering to vote or illegally casting ballots in U.S. elections.
ICE’s ongoing investigations and arrests of illegal immigrants who committed voter fraud include:
- Juan Carlos Matute-Hernandez, of Honduras, who illegally voted in the 2026 election. His criminal history includes an arrest for driving offenses.
- Aden Hassan Aden, of Somalia, who illegally voted in the 2020 election. His criminal history includes convictions for domestic violence, drug possession and larceny.
- Arturo Salazar Garcia, of Mexico, who illegally voted in the 2024 election.
- Jaimie Sosa-Sardina, of Cuba, who illegally voted in the 2024 election. His criminal history includes convictions for selling cocaine, battery and resisting an officer.
- Marva Marie Cook, of Germany, who illegally voted in the 2022 election. Her criminal history includes a conviction for larceny.
- Braulio Osiel Zapata Perez, of Nicaragua, who illegally voted in the 2024 election. His criminal history includes an arrest for DUI.
- Mai Tran, of Vietnam, who illegally voted in the 2024 election. Her criminal history includes convictions for fraud, numerous drug possession charges, selling cocaine, burglary, larceny, and illegal use of credit cards.
- Jose Luis Matute Chaviel, of Venezuela, who illegally voted in the 2024 election. His criminal history includes charges for DUI and cocaine possession.
- Phath Vorn, of Cambodia, who illegally voted in the 1992 election. His criminal history includes convictions for assault with intent to murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, and possession of a weapon.
- Axel Bemjarmin Alarcon Duarte, of Guatemala, who illegally voted in the 2024 election. His criminal history includes charges for DUI, assault and battery on a family member and shoplifting.
- Darwin Yoel Zelaya-Orellana, of Honduras, who illegally voted in the 2026 election. His criminal history includes a conviction for third-degree sex offense.
- Servando Alejandro-Torres, of Mexico, who illegally voted in the 2024 election. His criminal history includes convictions for disorderly conduct and bail jumping, and charges for DUI.
- Jairo Ivan Vazquez Montano, of Mexico, who illegally voted in the 2022 election. His criminal history includes arrests for kidnapping, DUI and an additional traffic offense.
- Anthony Tyrone Higgs, of the Bahamas, who illegally voted in the 2020 election. His criminal history includes convictions for two counts of possession of a weapon during a violent crime, two counts of grand larceny, armed robbery with a deadly weapon, criminal domestic violence, assault on a police officer and resisting arrest.
In September, Secretary Mullin and Attorney General Todd Blanche announced federal indictments against 10 noncitizens for illegally voting in Minnesota.
In October, Homeland Security Investigations arrested five noncitizens charged with illegally voting in Florida.
HSI agents arrested Lizbeth Almonte-Rosa, a naturalized U.S. citizen from the Dominican Republic, for registering to vote and then illegally voting in 2022 in New Jersey prior to her naturalization.
On Oct. 6, HSI Kansas City arrested Andres Garcia, a lawful permanent resident from Cuba, after he was charged with two counts of voting by an alien. Garcia registered to vote and then illegally voted in 2022 and 2024 in Missouri.
On Oct. 5, HSI Philadelphia arrested Paulo Jorge Silva, a lawful permanent resident from Portugal, after voting records showed that he is an active registered voter in Philadelphia. He then illegally voted in the November 2024 election in Pennsylvania, DHS officials said.
