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Justice Department alleges more than two dozen noncitizens illegally voted in California

Associated Press reports the arrested are lawful permanent residents, not citizens, and California disputes the federal evidence.

Updated Oct 20, 2026 · 06:08 UTC6 reports

The short version

Federal authorities arrested more than two dozen foreign nationals in California on Monday, alleging illegal voter registration and voting.[Associated Press]
The Justice Department says all those arrested are lawful permanent residents, not citizens, and they are charged with false statements on naturalization applications and fraudulent voter registrations.[Associated Press]
The arrests follow a federal lawsuit seeking to stop California from counting mail ballots from people the government calls likely noncitizens; the secretary of state disputes the evidence.[Associated Press]
Data cited in the reporting shows noncitizen voting is rare and hard to prove, and the lawsuit's outcome remains unresolved.[Associated Press]

Federal authorities arrested more than two dozen foreign nationals in California on Monday, alleging they illegally registered and voted in U.S. elections.[Associated Press]
The Justice Department says all those arrested are lawful permanent residents, not U.S. citizens, and they are charged with false statements on naturalization applications and fraudulent voter registrations.[Associated Press]
The Justice Department sued California to stop it from counting mail ballots from people the federal government identifies as likely noncitizens until their immigration status is confirmed.[Associated Press]
Before Monday, the Justice Department had charged about 90 people for election misconduct this year, including 50 alleged to have voted as noncitizens.[Associated Press]
A Justice Department letter warned that state and local election officials who knowingly tabulate ballots cast by noncitizens risk investigation and potential prosecution.[Associated Press]

California's secretary of state says the administration has provided no evidence that people on a 20,000-name list are likely noncitizens, while federal officials maintain they are.[Associated Press]
The charges are allegations, and the reporting does not say when or how the charges and the lawsuit will be resolved.[Associated Press]

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.