By The Daily Wire (World News) | Created at 2026-10-19 16:50:39 | Updated at 2026-10-19 21:06:55
9 hours ago
The Justice Department arrested 28 foreigners in California on Monday as part of a statewide crackdown on voter fraud ahead of the November midterm elections, The Daily Wire has learned.
Federal authorities arrested more than two dozen green card holders Monday morning, accusing them of illegally registering to vote or casting ballots in U.S. elections.
Dubbed “Operation Protect the Vote,” the sweep is part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to investigate alleged illegal voting ahead of next month’s midterms.
“We began arresting these individuals early this morning. My understanding is at least 11 are in custody so far. The rest will be in custody in the near future,” United States Attorney Bill Essayli said at a press conference. “In the last seven weeks alone, the Department of Justice has charged 113 aliens across 20 states with illegal voting and registration offenses.”
In one case, Homeland Security agents arrived at Alexander Muñoz’s home around 6 a.m., The New York Post reported. Agents reportedly pounded on the front door before taking the 72-year-old Belizean national into custody.
According to the Post, Muñoz allegedly falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen and registered to vote in September 2019. He reportedly voted in 2020, twice in 2022, and again in 2024. He is also accused of lying on his naturalization application and faces felony charges, including making false statements in an application for U.S. citizenship.
The latest arrests come as California Democrats have repeatedly pushed back against claims of widespread voter fraud in the Golden State, where election officials mail ballots to all registered voters and do not require a photo ID to cast a ballot. A voter ID measure, however, is now on the November ballot, though its prospects remain uncertain in the deep-blue state.
California is just the latest target. In September, two illegal immigrants living in Pennsylvania were arrested and hit with federal charges over allegations that they illegally voted in U.S. elections, The Daily Wire previously reported.
Haitian national Cliff Sanon, 39, allegedly voted in the November 2022 election. The Department of Justice released a photo reportedly showing Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents taking him into custody.
Authorities accused Sanon of submitting at least eight voter registration applications in Philadelphia County in February 2026. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, one year of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
Federal authorities also picked up Mexican national Dilea Ochoa-Perez, 43, who allegedly voted in Chester County in both the November 2022 and November 2024 general elections, according to the Justice Department. Ochoa-Perez was charged with two counts of voting as an alien.
If convicted, Ochoa-Perez faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison, one year of supervised release, a $200,000 fine, and a $50 special assessment.
