U.S. federal authorities charge non-citizens in voting fraud crackdown

Federal authorities have launched a crackdown on illegal voting by non-citizens, resulting in multiple indictments across Texas and Massachusetts.

In Texas, Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI have arrested seven non-citizens in North Texas. Among those charged is Khalwinder Singh Bhengura, an Indian lawful permanent resident, who allegedly claimed U.S. citizenship to register to vote and cast a ballot in the November 2024 general election. Other defendants include Nigerian, Mexican, and Democratic Republic of Congo nationals facing charges related to voting offenses or false claims of citizenship.

In Massachusetts, 56-year-old Gladys Adaeze Okafor, a Nigerian national and lawful permanent resident, has been charged by the Justice Department with unlawfully voting as an alien. Prosecutors allege Okafor misrepresented her citizenship on voter registration applications in 2022 and 2023, subsequently casting ballots in the 2024 presidential primary and the 2022 midterm elections.

U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould stated that authorities intend to prosecute individuals who misrepresent their citizenship to federal officials to cast ballots as part of a broader effort to review voter rolls ahead of upcoming elections.