The Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed on Monday that more than 400 noncitizens have been found registered to vote in Washington state, with some having participated in multiple elections over the years.
According to the U.S. attorney’s offices for both the Eastern and Western districts of Washington, many individuals on this list are green card holders who possess legal immigration status and permanent residency.
Neil Floyd, the acting U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington, stated, “We have identified over 400 noncitizens who are registered to vote and have voted in multiple elections. This is only the tip of the iceberg.” He added that the investigation will continue to uncover those who are illegally voting.
This effort follows the DOJ’s legal action in Los Angeles County, where officials are attempting to invalidate roughly 20,000 mail-in ballots linked to individuals whose citizenship status is uncertain.
Immigration authorities informed Fox News Digital on Tuesday that a significant number of noncitizens have also been arrested across the country as part of a large crackdown on voter fraud.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Floyd explained that investigators have used records from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to find that some individuals who applied for various benefits had also voted. While some voted only a handful of times, others cast votes as many as 27 times. Overall, his office noted around 1,500 cases of noncitizens voting.
Floyd pointed out that some of these noncitizen voters have been casting ballots for decades, even before Washington switched to a vote-by-mail system. “I think the earliest moment we have is 1984,” he remarked, indicating a timeline stretching to the early ’90s or late ’80s.
Interestingly, he mentioned that he hasn’t verified if any of these individuals participated in the upcoming midterm elections, as he wants to avoid interfering with the current electoral process.
The potential number of noncitizen voters could be much larger, Floyd suggested, as this list only includes those who sought specific benefits in Washington state.
Federal officials noted that many green card holders were unknowingly registered to vote through Washington’s Motor Voter program, which automatically integrates voter registration into the state’s licensing process.
“We’ve had green card holders tell us they’ve been registered without their knowledge via the Washington Motor Voter program. Then they get a ballot in the mail and think they’re legally registered, which isn’t true,” he explained.
The Washington secretary of state states that residents can only be automatically registered if they provide proof of U.S. citizenship during the driver’s license or ID card registration.
These findings have led federal officials to examine shortcomings in the voter registration system. The DOJ is now requesting that Washington state set aside the ballots cast by identified individuals until their citizenship can be confirmed.
“Washington is now on notice that noncitizens are voting. It is up to the state to ensure that they do not permit these illegal votes,” the notice indicated.
Officials cautioned that voting as a noncitizen could have serious ramifications for those seeking U.S. citizenship, including potential criminal charges for false statements on naturalization applications and fraudulent voter registration.
On Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) informed Fox News Digital that several undocumented immigrants have confessed to unlawfully registering to vote or casting ballots in U.S. elections.
Among the many suspects apprehended, at least 18 had voted in federal elections. These individuals came from various countries, including Mexico, Somalia, Honduras, Guyana, Cuba, Germany, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Vietnam, El Salvador, Cambodia, Guatemala, Portugal, and Italy.
Additionally, many of them are facing charges for various alleged offenses, such as counterfeiting, fraud, DUI, kidnapping, sexual crimes, drug possession, assault with a dangerous weapon, and burglary.
