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4 clusters · 17 sources · 17 days · First seen · Last updated

Non-citizen voting investigations in Michigan

Overview

An investigation into Michigan voter rolls identified non-U.S. citizens registered to vote, including an Iranian national, Afshin Masheli, listed on a Department of Homeland Security “Worst of the Worst” list. An undercover investigation also identified Fazlollah Haritash, an Iranian national with convictions for child sex crimes, as a registered voter. Election workers confirmed both individuals appeared in poll books; Masheli indicated he had voted in the previous three elections and intended to vote in the 2026 Michigan Primary. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon notified Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson that maintaining non-citizens on registration lists may violate the National Voter Registration Act.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has announced criminal charges against five non-citizens—including a resident of the United Kingdom and lawful permanent residents—for allegedly voting in the November 2024 general election. A U.S. citizen was also charged for attempting to register a non-citizen spouse. The charges encompass perjury, fraudulent registration, and forgery. The Michigan Department of State reported that between 2009 and 2025, 38 cases of suspected non-citizen voting or related conduct were identified. Of these, six criminal charges have been filed, ten cases were closed without charges, and 22 remain under review.

Adding to the controversy, Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf alleged, citing a whistleblower, that Michigan’s Customer and Automotive Records System (CARS) may automatically register non-citizens to vote during address updates. Leaf has referred the matter to the U.S. Department of Justice. In response to these concerns, Sarah DeBoer, the clerk of Climax Township in Kalamazoo County, joined other Michigan clerks in requesting federal assistance to confirm the citizenship status of registered voters, noting that local clerks lack the authority to independently verify such status.

Entities

Michigan Department of State · Dana Nessel · Michigan Secretary of State · Afshin Masheli · American Immigration Council

Timeline

  1. 17 days ago

    [POLITICS] 7 sources
    Michigan officials charge non-citizens with voting in 2024 election

    Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel charged five non-citizens with voting in the 2024 election, while local clerks call for federal help to verify citizenship status on voter rolls.

  2. 22 days ago

    [POLITICS] 2 sources
    Michigan Sheriff alleges state software automatically registers non-citizens to vote

    Michigan Sheriff Dar Leaf has referred allegations to the DOJ that state software may automatically register non-citizens to vote when they update their addresses via the Secretary of State's records system.

  3. 29 days ago

    [POLITICS] 6 sources
    Michigan charges five noncitizens with illegal voting in 2024 election

    Michigan officials have charged five noncitizens and one U.S. citizen with election-related crimes following allegations of illegal voting in the 2024 election, fueling national political debate.

  4. about 1 month ago

    [POLITICS] 2 sources
    Michigan voter rolls contain non-U.S. citizens from Iran

    An investigation found two Iranian non-citizens, including individuals with criminal records, registered to vote in Michigan, prompting legal scrutiny over the state's voter rolls.

Sources

americafirstreport.com · americanfaith.com · bangordailynews.com · cremation.com · digitalchew.com · freerepublic.com · independent.co.uk · investinmacedonia.com · justthenews.com · lifezette.com · thealpenanews.com · theamericantribune.com · thelibertydaily.com · thepatriotchronicles.com · triblive.com · wtop.com · wzmq19.com

This summary has been updated 4 times: see revision history