On Tuesday, September 15, Texas law enforcement officials announced the arrest of 7 noncitizens on suspicion of involvement in voter fraud related to the 2024 elections.
These 7 suspects were not authorized to vote in state and federal elections. Among them, 6 were legal permanent residents from countries such as Nigeria and India, while 1 was a Mexican citizen who had been deported previously for serious crimes. Additionally, arrest warrants have been issued for 2 other unnamed suspects.
US Federal Prosecutor Ryan Raybould stated during a press conference in Fort Worth that the 7 suspects are accused of falsely reporting their identities on voter registration forms and casting votes in past elections, even though 2 of them only cast provisional ballots that were rejected.
“These charges send a clear message: we will enforce the law. While holding wrongdoers accountable, we will also defend the integrity of citizen voting,” he said.
This arrest operation is part of a joint investigation by multiple agencies, including the Texas Attorney General’s Office, the Northern District of Texas U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Currently, all suspects face several years in prison as providing false information on forms can result in up to 2 years of imprisonment, and illegal voting can lead to a maximum of 1 year behind bars.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton emphasized when the investigation began in June, “Foreign forces have no place in US elections. We will not tolerate any attempts to manipulate elections, suppress American citizens’ and voters’ will, and will continue to ensure Texas has fair and free elections.”
Just a week ago, 3 more individuals were arrested in Los Angeles for allegedly paying homeless individuals in shelters to sign petitions using stolen voter information. One man even collected over 41,000 signatures.
In another recent case, a former mayoral candidate in Cotton Valley, Louisiana, has been indicted for allegedly submitting illegal voter applications for a noncitizen from Jamaica.
The application falsely claimed the man was a US citizen, and he reportedly voted in local and federal elections in 2024.
These cases highlight the ongoing efforts to combat voter fraud and maintain the integrity of the electoral process.