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Non-citizen voting investigations in Michigan

Updated 4 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-25 16:02 UTC → 2026-09-02 17:41 UTC · added ~~removed~~

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 ~~since~~ 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.

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