Ten noncitizens have been arrested and charged for allegedly casting votes illegally in various elections in North Carolina.
Three people were from Germany, two from Jamaica, and one each from El Salvador, Haiti, Canada, Panama, and Montenegro, Homeland Security said in an Oct. 23 statement. Nine are lawful permanent residents and one is an illegal immigrant, the agency said. They were apprehended on Oct. 14 and 15.
The illegal immigrant from El Salvador, Edduard Omar Majano-Sosa, allegedly entered the United States in 2022 and was released into the country by the Biden administration. He is accused of voting illegally in the 2024 general election. He is also being charged with possessing a pistol that was found in his vehicle at the time of arrest.
Among lawful permanent residents, Karl Paul Fout, from Germany, is alleged to have illegally voted in seven general elections between 2008 and 2024, according to the Department of Justice. Fout has prior convictions related to possessing marijuana and cocaine, the department said. He entered the United States in 1960.
Another lawful permanent resident, Lawton Caswell Broomfield E McKenzie from Jamaica, is accused of voting illegally in three general elections from 2012 to 2024, federal agencies said. He has a criminal history of manufacturing and distributing controlled substances, battery, and assault.
All 10 individuals face various charges including falsely claiming citizenship for registering to vote and voting by an immigrant, Homeland Security said.
“The right to vote is one of American citizens’ most fundamental rights, and protecting our elections’ integrity is a responsibility we take seriously,” acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director David J. Venturella said in the statement.
“When people illegally cast ballots, they undermine the law and the trust Americans place in our democratic process. These arrests send the message that election laws are not optional, and those who violate them will be held accountable,” Venturella said.
The Epoch Times was unable to reach the legal representatives of Majano-Sosa, Fout, and McKenzie.
In an Oct. 23 statement, the Department of Justice announced that nine Pennsylvanian noncitizens had been charged with illegal voting.
Two were from Cuba and Kenya, and the remaining five were from Poland, Israel, Russia, Greece, and the Netherlands.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration faces a legal challenge related to its efforts to clean up voter rolls. On Oct. 15, three groups, including the League of Women Voters, filed a lawsuit in the District of Columbia, alleging that federal officials compiling voter data to counter fraud were acting illegally.
DHS has obtained voter list data from the Justice Department and commercial sources. The department is assessing the data to identify individuals ineligible to vote.
In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs asked the court to declare that the data collection violated federal laws and to enjoin government officials from carrying out these efforts.
A Homeland Security spokesperson told The Epoch Times that the department was committed to ensuring accurate voter rolls.
“These investigative efforts are conducted diligently and professionally in accordance with the law,” the spokesperson said.
“Identification and investigation of aliens who vote in our elections provides an essential guarantee in the authenticity of our election results. DHS will pursue each and every illegal voter to the fullest extent of the law.”
During a Sept. 30 press conference announcing charges against 10 noncitizens for illegal voting, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stressed that only U.S. citizens have the right to elect American leaders.
The defendants were accused of voting in various elections, including the 2022 and 2024 elections. Authorities arrested one person in Massachusetts and the remaining nine in Minnesota.
“Our message to aliens who vote in American elections is clear: we will find you, arrest you, and you will face the consequences, including criminal charges and deportation,” Mullin said.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, this administration will never allow the votes of American citizens to be canceled out by noncitizens illegally voting in our elections.”
Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
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