Federal authorities have charged 28 noncitizens in California with felony offenses related to illegally registering and voting in U.S. elections, according to a Justice Department announcement made Monday. The charges were unveiled just hours after CBS News correspondent Leslie Stahl questioned the significance of noncitizen voting during a 60 Minutes segment.
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The case highlights a growing clash over election security, as federal officials intensify efforts to prosecute alleged voter fraud while critics argue the problem is overstated.
The Justice Department said the charges are part of "Operation Protect the Vote," a national initiative that has resulted in 113 noncitizens being charged in 20 states for illegally voting or registering to vote in less than two months. The DOJ alleges that 23 of the 28 individuals charged in California actually cast ballots in U.S. elections.
Details of the Charges
Among those charged is Alexander MuΓ±oz, who allegedly registered to vote illegally in September 2019 and voted in four elections between 2020 and 2024. MuΓ±oz is also accused of making false statements on a naturalization application by denying he had ever claimed to be a U.S. citizen.
Rouzbeh Seyamaknejad is alleged to have fraudulently registered to vote in December 2018 and voted in the 2024 election. The DOJ claims Seyamaknejad also lied on a naturalization application in January 2024.
Mexican national Sulema de LeΓ³n is accused of registering to vote in 2013, lying on a 2019 naturalization application, and voting in the November 2020 general election. The Justice Department has not released the full list of names but said the charges include both illegal registration and false statements during the citizenship process.
Federal and State Tensions
The crackdown follows a recent ultimatum from the Trump administration, which ordered California to review a list of suspected noncitizen voters who received mail-in ballots. When the state failed to meet the administration's 48-hour deadline, federal officials filed a lawsuit seeking to block the counting of mail-in ballots for those on the list until their citizenship status could be confirmed, according to the Associated Press.
Acting Deputy Attorney General McCotter said the charges underscore the importance of the ongoing lawsuit against California over its voter rolls, stating, "Today's charges demonstrate why that lawsuit is so important. The lawsuit is about preventing..." The Justice Department has not commented further on the pending litigation.
Broader National Context
California is not alone in facing federal scrutiny over noncitizen voting. According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, two noncitizens in New Jersey were charged last month with illegally voting in a federal election and making false statements on citizenship applications. The arrests came after New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill cited a "software error" that allowed approximately 6,600 noncitizens to register to vote in the state. New Jersey is among 30 states, including California, currently being sued for refusing to turn over voter rolls for review of improper registrations.
"The point is actually the opposite of what you were saying. Itβs not to sow distrust. The distrust is there. And so all of these kinds of crimes are being prosecuted now for the first time really in volume."
β Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General
Debate Over Scope and Impact
During the 60 Minutes segment, Leslie Stahl questioned the rationale for prosecuting noncitizen voting, stating, "There are very few people who are noncitizens who end up voting. Very, very few. And so therefore whatβs the purpose?" Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon responded that the prosecutions are intended to address existing distrust in the election system, not to create it.
Supporters of stricter enforcement argue that the recent charges demonstrate the need for more rigorous oversight of voter rolls and citizenship verification. Critics, including some election officials and commentators, maintain that noncitizen voting remains rare and that high-profile prosecutions risk undermining public confidence in elections. CBS News has reported that state and local election officials are facing increased pressure from federal authorities, which some say is contributing to an erosion of trust in the voting process.
The Justice Department has not indicated when further action or additional charges might be announced.
