Trump DOJ charges 28 non-citizens as California ballot battle escalates ahead of midterms

Federal authorities have charged 28 non-citizens in California as part of a sweeping election fraud investigation, as the Trump administration seeks to block mail-in ballots from approximately 20,000 people it suspects are ineligible to vote.Eleven foreign nationals have been arrested under "Operation Protect the Vote," a coordinated initiative involving federal prosecutors across California, Justice Department officials announced Monday.All 28 defendants are lawful permanent residents, or green card holders, who are legally permitted to live in the US but are prohibited from voting in federal elections.A voter participation sticker sits on a table during early voting in the US midterm elections at Desert Breeze Community Center on October 17, 2026 in Las Vegas (AFP/Getty)The charges include allegedly making false statements on citizenship applications and, in some cases, fraudulently registering to vote. Each offense carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter said the defendants were among approximately 20,000 suspected non-citizens identified by the Justice Department ahead of November's elections."Today's charges demonstrate why the lawsuit is so important," McCotter told reporters in Los Angeles. "It's about preventing voter fraud."DOJ seeks to block thousands of mail ballotsThe arrests come as the Justice Department pursues a federal lawsuit seeking to prevent California election officials from counting mail ballots submitted by roughly 20,000 people whose citizenship status it has questioned.Federal officials said they provided California with a list of potential non-citizen voters on October 13 and requested that their ballots be set aside pending verification.Acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter stands next to a display showing photos of people charged with illegally registering to vote during a news conference in Los Angeles (AP)According to McCotter, state officials declined to cooperate, prompting the administration to seek a court order.The Justice Department has not established that all 20,000 individuals are ineligible voters or that they have cast fraudulent ballots.Among those charged is Omar Alexander Muñoz, 72, a Belizean national living in Commerce, California.Prosecutors allege Muñoz falsely claimed U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in September 2019, then cast ballots in elections in 2020, twice in 2022, and again in 2024.He is also accused of lying under oath on his naturalization application by denying that he had previously claimed to be an American citizen.Federal crackdown to continue beyond midtermsMcCotter said 113 people nationwide had been charged with potential voter fraud in recent weeks, compared with 13 alleged non-citizen cases brought during former President Joe Biden's four years in office.The Justice Department presented the figures, but they do not, by themselves, establish the prevalence of non-citizen voting.President Donald Trump and his acolytes have made numerous exaggerated claims about voter fraud in the lead-up to the midterm elections (AFP/Getty)"This isn't a conspiracy theory — these are facts," First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli said. "These cases are only a glimpse into our efforts to prioritize election integrity."Craig Missakian, US attorney for the Northern District of California, insisted the investigation was not politically motivated."We don't care who you vote for," he said. "What we care about is ensuring a level playing field."Missakian said Operation Protect the Vote would continue through November's elections and beyond.The allegations against the 28 defendants have not been proven in court.