Justice Department Charges 63 People in Election Cases in 15 States on the Eve of the Midterms

The Justice Department announced on Monday, November 2, that it has charged 63 people in 15 states with election related crimes, one day before the midterm elections that will decide control of Congress.

The cases involve alleged voting by noncitizens in federal elections, false claims of United States citizenship to register or vote, and the fraudulent submission of a voter registration application in another state, the department said in its announcement. Four of the 63 defendants were described by the department as being in the country illegally. Most of the others are lawful permanent residents, who may not vote in federal elections.

"Today's announcement marks the largest surge of voter-fraud arrests since President Trump returned to office," Attorney General Todd Blanche said in the department's news release. "These foreign nationals allegedly took advantage of the trust of the American people and flouted the laws that govern our nation's elections. This Department of Justice will continue investigating and prosecuting voter fraud to restore confidence in our electoral system."

North Carolina holds the most cases

North Carolina accounts for 18 of the 63 people charged, spread across the state's three federal districts. In Robeson County, Selvin Porfidio Gonzalez Escobar, 43, a Guatemalan national described by the department as being in the country illegally, is charged with falsely claiming citizenship to vote and with voting by a noncitizen. Prosecutors say he registered to vote in 2020 and voted in the 2020 and 2024 general elections.

Two other North Carolina cases reach back years. Crudup, 52, a Kenyan national and lawful permanent resident, allegedly registered in 2008 and voted in nine general elections. Wade, 64, a Bermudan national and lawful permanent resident, allegedly registered in 2000 and voted in 12 general elections.

Cases from Georgia to Wisconsin

In Georgia, Benito Covarrubias Iniguez, 64, a Mexican national described as being in the country illegally, is charged with making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote in a federal election. In Texas, five people were charged in the Southern District, including Ali Khan, 33, described as being in the country illegally, who is accused of voting in the 2024 election. In Maryland, Mohammad Hachibur Rahman, 33, a Bangladeshi national described as being in the country illegally, is charged with unlawful voting in the November 2024 election.

Tennessee has seven defendants across three districts, New Jersey two, Wisconsin two and New York two. The full list of states in the announcement is Georgia, Texas, Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, New Jersey, Wisconsin, New York, Utah, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, California, Arkansas and Pennsylvania.

The running totals

The department said it has charged 195 noncitizens across 25 states with illegal voting and registration offenses in the last nine weeks alone, and 239 people with voting fraud related offenses since the current administration began. Monday's announcement follows a similar one on October 26, when the department charged 48 noncitizens in five states.

The charges are allegations, not convictions. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove the case in court, and the announcement does not report any conviction among the 63.

On the same day, federal courts were still ruling on the department's separate effort to make California set aside mail ballots from about 20,000 voters the government says are likely noncitizens, a request the Supreme Court rejected on Monday. Voters go to the polls on Tuesday, November 3, with all 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats on the ballot.