Mexican national convicted of illegally voting in US after false citizenship claims faces removal: DHS

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A Mexican national who voted illegally in U.S.electionsand falsely claimed to be a citizen has been convicted and could face removal under federal immigration law.

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Jose Ceballos-Armendariz appears in an image provided by DHS following his conviction in a voter fraud case.

Jose Ceballos-Armendariz pleaded guilty to voter fraud charges after authorities said he unlawfully voted and falsely claimed U.S.citizenship, according to the Department of Homeland Security.(Department of Homeland Security)

Under federal immigration law, false claims to U.S.citizenship can make a noncitizen removable, though DHS has not detailed any potential action in this case.

“This alien has now been convicted ofillegally voting in American elections, votingin American elections,” DHS acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said.“The SAVE program is a critical tool for state and local governments to safeguard the integrity of elections across the country.”

�yes” when asked if he was a U.S.citizen on a Kansas voter registration form and signed to affirm the information was true.

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A Kansas voter registration form shows Jose Ceballos-Armendariz indicating he was a U.S. citizen.

S.citizen on a Kansas voter registration form, which authorities say was false.(Department of Homeland Security)

On hisnaturalizationapplication, however, he marked “no” when asked whether he had ever claimed to be a U.S.citizen despite his prior voter registration.

DHS said Ceballos-Armendariz also has a prior criminal conviction, having been found guilty of battery in 1995.

PresidentDonald Trumphas made election integrity a central focus of his administration, with officials pointing to enforcement actions like this case as part of broader efforts to prevent noncitizens from participating in U.S.elections.

Existing federal law — 18 U.S.C.§ 611: “Voting by aliens” under the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) of 1996 — prohibits noncitizens, including lawful permanent residents, from voting in elections for all federal offices.

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Sen. Mike Lee speaking at a rally outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

People rally in support of the SAVE America Act outside the U.S.Capitol in Washington, D.C.(Kent Nishimura/Getty Images, File)

“Nothing is more fundamental than theintegrity and security of ourelections,” Bis said.“That’s why the Trump Administration has repeatedly called on Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, commonsense legislation that requires voters to present photo ID and implements other critical measures to protect federal elections from fraud.

“Our elections belong to American citizens, not foreign citizens.”

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Despite the IIRIRA, since April 2025, more than 24,000 potential non-U.S.citizens have beenidentified on voter rollsthrough the SAVE program and referred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for further investigation, according to DHS.

Officials said more than 60 million voter verification queries have been processed during that time.

Federal officials say the system allows states to verify citizenship status and prevent unlawful voting, and they continue to urge broader adoption nationwide.

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