DOJ Charges 10 Foreigners With Illegal Voting in Minnesota
Federal prosecutors charge 10 foreign nationals with illegal voting in Minnesota elections.
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A federal grand jury has indicted 10 foreign nationals accused of casting ballots or lying about their citizenship to vote in Minnesota elections. The charges were returned on Sept. 24 and announced on Wednesday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Minnesota. The indictments include nine counts of illegal voting by a noncitizen and nine counts of falsely claiming citizenship to register. The alleged conduct spans the 2022 and 2024 general elections, as well as Minnesota’s August primary this year.
Federal Laws and Penalties
A false claim of citizenship to vote breaks federal law and can result in up to five years in prison, according to the office. Voting by a noncitizen is a misdemeanor that carries a maximum of one year. An indictment is only an accusation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until the government proves guilt in court.
International Background and Charges
The accused are nationals of Liberia, Lithuania, Ghana, Germany, Bosnia, Brazil, Canada, and South Africa. A Ghanaian national is accused of voting in this year’s August primary, while a Lithuanian woman faces a count tied to the 2022 general election. All 10 defendants hold lawful permanent resident status, according to PJ Media.
Statements from Officials
“Voting in American elections is a privilege of American citizenship,” said U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen in the announcement. Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized that enforcing the ban is fundamental to democracy. “That should not be a partisan concept,” he added.
Broader Context of Voter Fraud Investigations
The department has brought more than 90 voter-fraud cases during President Donald Trump’s second term, including 50 in the past five weeks, Blanche said, according to Spectrum News. Homeland Security investigators have made 100 administrative arrests and secured 10 convictions in such cases, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin noted.
Response from Minnesota Officials
Minnesota’s Democratic Secretary of State Steve Simon responded to the announcement, stating, “These indictments affirm the fact that noncitizen voting is a vanishingly rare crime.” He noted that the 10 cases stand against roughly 8.5 million ballots cast in the state during the period in question.
Investigative Leads and Prosecution
Homeland Security Investigations led the inquiry, according to the USAO. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Teirab is prosecuting the cases.
Source: Daily Caller
