The Justice Department has filed election related charges against 16 noncitizens in several states, alleging illegal voting, false voter registration, and fraudulent claims of U.S. citizenship. The new cases, detailed in a Breitbart article, involve defendants in Minnesota, Florida, Louisiana, and Wisconsin.
All defendants remain presumed innocent unless found guilty in court. In its official release, the Justice Department said the prosecutions include accusations that noncitizens voted in federal elections, falsely stated they were Americans to register or vote, or made false statements during citizenship applications.
Prosecutors charged two people in Florida. Andrea Catanese, an Italian citizen and lawful permanent resident, allegedly voted in the 2024 general election and falsely denied that vote during his naturalization process. Terrance Patrick Evans, a Bahamian national, allegedly cast a 2024 general election ballot despite knowing he was not an American citizen.
In Louisiana, federal indictments accuse Cuban national Pedro Pablo Ruiz, Mexican national Zianya Yllaly Zamorano, and Nicaraguan national Dudley Francisco Zeledon of voting unlawfully in federal elections. The government alleges that Ruiz and Zamorano voted in the 2024 general election, while Zeledon voted in both the 2024 primary and general elections.
Federal authorities in Wisconsin charged Sara Luma, a North Macedonian national and lawful permanent resident, with unlawful voting as a noncitizen. Investigators allege that she registered on Election Day in 2024 and falsely certified on her registration form that she held U.S. citizenship.
Minnesota accounts for 10 of the defendants. A Justice Department indictment alleges that lawful permanent residents from Liberia, Lithuania, Ghana, Germany, Bosnia, Brazil, Canada, and South Africa illegally voted or falsely claimed citizenship in connection with elections held in 2022, 2024, and 2026.
Attorney General Todd Blanche addressed the Minnesota cases in a statement. “Today's charges allege that ten foreign nationals committed voter fraud in Minnesota, one voting illegally as recently as this August's primary,” Blanche said.
The new prosecutions follow other cases announced in September. As Breitbart reported, the Justice Department previously announced election related charges against people in several states, including Texas, Georgia, Idaho, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, and Michigan.
The cases should not be misrepresented as evidence that unlawful voting is widespread. They do establish that ineligible voting can occur and that citizenship verification remains essential to the integrity of elections.
All in all, citizenship must remain the decisive qualification for voting in American elections. Strong border enforcement and reduced immigration levels can support election integrity by ensuring that non-citizens do not enter, remain, or gain improper access to the electoral system.
