US federal investigators have identified more than 400 suspected noncitizens registered to vote in Washington state, with approximately 1,500 instances of ballots being cast across multiple elections, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said, as authorities investigate allegations of unlawful voting.
In a post on X, ICE said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and federal partners were investigating the allegations and working to protect the integrity of American elections . The agency said noncitizens are not permitted to vote in federal elections and warned that those violating federal election laws would be held accountable.
The DOJ has asked Washington state to set aside ballots cast by the identified individuals until their citizenship status can be confirmed, the report said. Authorities raised concerns about Washington’s Motor Voter program, which connects voter registration with the state’s Department of Licensing. They allegedly assumed they were eligible to vote after receiving ballots by mail.
Floyd said investigators had counted approximately 1,500 instances of noncitizens casting ballots. others were linked to as many as 27 instances of voting While some individuals allegedly voted only once or a few times.
Neil Floyd, acting US attorney for the Western District of Washington, said investigators identified the individuals by reviewing records maintained by US Citizenship and Immigration Services ( USCIS ). The records showed that some people who applied for certain immigration benefits had also voted in elections, according to a Fox News report . Floyd said the earliest cases could date back to the late 1980s or early 1990s. He also said he had not established whether any of the individuals had voted in the upcoming midterm elections. Federal officials said many of the individuals identified were green card holders, or lawful permanent residents. Some green card holders said they had been registered without their knowledge, according to the federal notice cited by Fox News.
