Federal Charges Filed Against Five Individuals for Alleged Election-Related Offenses, Including Non-Citizen Voting

The Department of Justice recently announced federal charges against five individuals, including two non-citizens, for alleged election-related offenses during the 2022 and 2024 election cycles. The charges encompass unlawfully casting ballots, falsifying citizenship status, fraudulent voter registration, and aiding and abetting.

Among those indicted is Rodriguez, an undocumented individual from Mexico residing in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. A federal grand jury has charged Rodriguez with illegally voting as a non-citizen in the 2024 election. Specific allegations against her include making a false statement of citizenship to vote and fraudulent registration. If convicted, Rodriguez could face a maximum sentence of 11 years in prison, a period of supervised release, and a monetary fine, according to a Department of Justice press release.

Broader Federal Initiative Targets Election Crimes

These charges are part of an intensified nationwide effort by the current administration to investigate and prosecute election-related crimes, particularly ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Over the past year, the Justice Department has initiated legal actions against nearly 30 states, seeking access to confidential voter rolls. Concurrently, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), an agency traditionally focused on combating cartels and terrorism, has been tasked with identifying non-citizens who are unlawfully registered to vote.

This federal enforcement push comes weeks after officials in New Jersey revealed a significant state software malfunction that inadvertently registered approximately 6,600 non-citizens to vote. Of these, around 400 individuals reportedly cast ballots.

Audits and Investigations Uncover Non-Citizen Registrations

Earlier this summer, Homeland Security announced the findings of an audit of public voter rolls, which identified more than 250,000 registered non-citizens across just four states: California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Nevada.

Furthermore, internal directives recently brought to light indicated that Homeland Security Investigations launched a coordinated