FBI arrests dozens in California noncitizen voter fraud operation

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 19 Oct, 19:57 · Archive

Federal agents arrested suspects accused of fraudulently registering to vote as noncitizens in California elections.

Federal agents arrested more than two dozen suspects in California on Monday in an operation targeting noncitizens accused of fraudulently registering to vote. The operation, called 'Protect the Vote', drew suspects from a list of more than 20,000 suspected noncitizens in the state who allegedly registered to vote in next month's midterm election.

One suspect named in reports is Alexander Muñoz, 72, a Belizean national arrested in Commerce. Authorities say Muñoz fraudulently registered to vote in September 2019 while claiming to be a US citizen, then voted in US elections in 2020, twice in 2022, and in 2024. Muñoz allegedly also lied on his naturalization application by falsely stating under oath that he had never claimed to be a citizen. He faces felony charges including making false statements in a naturalization application.

LA's top federal prosecutor Bill Essayli said the arrests confirmed that 'noncitizens are voting in California elections which is unconstitutional and illegal'. California officials have previously denied that noncitizen voting is a widespread problem in the state. Prosecutors planned a press conference for Monday morning to provide additional details about the operation and the charges.

How it is being reported

• DoJ charges 28 green card holders in California over alleged voter fraudCrackdown marks latest escalation in the Trump justice department’s push to target alleged noncitizen voting The US Department of Justice has filed criminal charges against 28 green card holders in California accused of fraudulently registering to vote and casting illegal ballots. The crackdown marks another escalation in the federal government’s ongoing efforts against alleged noncitizen voting, efforts that Democrats and voting rights groups say are part of a strategy by the Trump administration to sow doubt in the results of the upcoming midterm elections. Continue reading...Guardian World · 19 Oct, 19:52
• Trump escalates crackdown on illegal voting with new arrests in California fraud stingCalifornia has become a flashpoint in the Trump administration's fight over noncitizen voting - despite scant evidence of illegal voting in the US.Daily Mail · 19 Oct, 19:46
• FBI smash huge voter fraud ring in California — days after feds issued ultimatum to stateThe arrests were the latest escalation in a federal effort to tackle electoral wrongdoing in California, something local officials have denied is a widespread problem.New York Post · 19 Oct, 14:41

In this story: California · Alexander Muñoz · Bill Essayli · Homeland Security Investigations · Commerce · Belize

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem