DETAILS: Non-citizen Charged for Voter Registration
Federal prosecutors in California have charged a Honduran national with voter fraud. This individual allegedly registered to vote using an alias and cast ballots in several elections. According to reports, the suspect obtained a voter registration card through a gym membership. This case adds fuel to the ongoing discussions about voter identification laws.
Another instance involves a Bahamian national who came to the U.S. during President Gerald Ford’s time. He was living here with a green card but accumulated a violent criminal record before authorities discovered he had voted illegally in the 2020 election, leading to the start of deportation proceedings.
The case of Anthony Tyrone Higgs adds to a growing list of arrests linked to illegal voting in recent elections, as the Trump administration intensifies its efforts to combat election integrity violations.
A White House spokesperson expressed, “This individual was a guest in our nation who lost his privilege to remain here after committing violent offenses and voting in the 2020 election.”
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) confirmed that Higgs had cast an illegal vote in 2020. He was arrested by HSI agents in Decatur, Georgia, on September 3, and is now in the custody of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), which manages removal operations for undocumented immigrants.
Higgs entered the U.S. as a Lawful Permanent Resident back in October 1976. Given his extensive criminal record, the Trump-era Department of Homeland Security is now pushing to revoke his immigration status.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated, “This person from the Bahamas has a criminal record involving multiple violent offenses, including armed robbery, domestic violence, and assault.” He added, “In addition to all that, he voted illegally in the 2020 election.” Mullin emphasized that any non-citizen who votes unlawfully will face arrest and deportation, asserting, “American elections are solely for Americans.”
Moreover, the DHS has pointed out other cases where illegal immigrants or ineligible voters have faced charges related to elections. For example, Colombian illegal immigrant Carlos Jaramillo-Grajales received a three-year prison sentence after admitting to identity theft that allowed him to vote illegally for over two decades.
In another case in New Jersey, a Slovakian national was found to have voted illegally in the 2022 midterms. There was also mention of an Australian accused of casting illegal ballots in both the 2022 and 2024 elections in Louisiana.
Higgs’s situation serves as a reminder that, even while the details can be complicated, enforcement actions against illegal voting and related crimes continue to be a focus for authorities. The notion of a single non-citizen vote overshadowing an American citizen’s vote is a serious concern for some officials.
Overall, the ongoing efforts to uphold election integrity and address fraud allegations are, perhaps, just the beginning as authorities continue to investigate and act on these matters.
