President Donald Trump’s administration is stepping up criminal prosecutions of noncitizens accused of illegally voting in U.S. elections, as the president continues to raise concerns about election fraud ahead of the November midterm elections.
The U.S. Department of Justice has brought criminal charges against about 20 people this month under a federal law that prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections, according to a Reuters review of court records and government statements. The cases account for roughly 13% of all prosecutions brought under the statute since it was enacted three decades ago.
Federal prosecutors have recently pursued cases involving legal permanent residents and other noncitizens accused of registering to vote or casting ballots. For example, the Justice Department announced in September that a Mexican national and legal permanent resident had been charged in Texas with allegedly voting in the 2024 presidential election.
The law, 18 U.S.C. § 611, generally prohibits non-U.S. citizens from voting in federal elections, with limited exceptions established by law or local jurisdictions for certain non-federal elections. Violations can carry criminal penalties.
The Justice Department has also prosecuted cases involving noncitizens accused of voting in multiple elections. In July, a British citizen and lawful permanent resident in Texas pleaded guilty to illegally voting in federal elections and falsely claiming U.S. citizenship on voter-registration documents.
The increased prosecutions come as the administration places election integrity and noncitizen voting among its enforcement priorities ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Reuters noted that documented instances of noncitizen voting remain relatively rare compared with the overall number of ballots cast in U.S. elections.
