President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice announced Monday that 48 foreign nationals have been charged with election-related offenses across five states, including allegations of illegal voting in federal elections, fraudulent voter registration, and falsely claiming American citizenship.
The sweeping announcement, issued October 26, involves defendants in Pennsylvania, California, Florida, New York, and Nevada.
According to the official DOJ announcement, 47 of the defendants are lawful permanent residents, commonly known as green card holders, while one is a Cuban national accused of residing in the United States illegally.
California recorded the largest share of defendants, with 28 individuals facing charges across four federal judicial districts.
The Justice Department described allegations involving noncitizens who registered to vote, participated in federal elections, and, in certain cases, later denied their voting histories or citizenship claims during naturalization proceedings.
Among those identified by federal prosecutors:
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Omar Alexander Muñoz, 72, a Belizean national, allegedly registered to vote in September 2019 while falsely claiming U.S. citizenship. Prosecutors say he subsequently voted in elections in 2020, 2022, and 2024 before making false statements in his naturalization application.
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Butleng Taing, 43, a Cambodian national, allegedly registered in 2021, voted in the 2022 and 2024 elections, and later provided false information on his citizenship application.
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Maricela Nazarín González, 43, a Mexican national, allegedly registered in 2020 while claiming American citizenship and voted in several elections, including one in 2025.
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Giezell Viduya Adawag, 41, a Philippine national, allegedly registered on Election Day in November 2024, falsely certified that she was a U.S. citizen, and cast a ballot that same day.
The allegations include some registrations dating back more than two decades, although registration alone does not establish that a person subsequently voted.
California prosecutors have charged defendants with offenses ranging from illegal voting to false statements concerning citizenship and naturalization.
The Justice Department also announced cases involving nine defendants in Pennsylvania, six in Florida, four in New York, and one in Nevada.
In Pennsylvania, federal prosecutors charged Alfredo Santiesteban, 73, a Cuban national described as an illegal alien, with voting unlawfully in the November 2024 general election.
Another Pennsylvania defendant, Polish national Artur Kopacz, 50, allegedly voted in both the 2022 and 2024 general elections despite being a lawful permanent resident rather than a U.S. citizen.
In Florida, Jamie Orlando Sosa Sardina, 60, a Cuban national and green card holder, was indicted on charges involving an alleged false claim of citizenship and illegal voting in the 2022 and 2024 federal general elections.
Meanwhile, in Nevada, prosecutors charged Jullie Ann Sumalinog Moore, 44, a Philippine national and lawful permanent resident, with voting unlawfully in a federal election.
The latest announcement follows several federal investigations and prosecutions previously covered by The Gateway Pundit.
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On October 19, The Gateway Pundit’s Cristina Laila reported that the DOJ charged 28 noncitizens in California under an enforcement initiative known as Operation Protect the Vote.
Federal authorities announced that 11 defendants had been arrested and that all 28 were lawful permanent residents.
Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter argued that the charges exposed weaknesses in California’s voter verification practices. Federal officials said the defendants appeared on a larger list of more than 20,000 suspected noncitizen registrants, although the citizenship and voting eligibility of everyone on that list had not been independently established.
The October 26 announcement includes those 28 California defendants and should not be interpreted as 48 additional prosecutions beyond that earlier operation.
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