California voter rolls targeted as federal prosecutors charge six green card holders

Federal prosecutors in California have filed criminal complaints against six lawful permanent residents for allegedly misrepresenting their voter registration history on citizenship applications, authorities announced on Monday.

The charges mark the latest development in a high-profile federal campaign targeting California voting rolls right before midterm election voting concludes. Bill Essayli, the US attorney for the central district of California, stated that five of the six individuals have been taken into custody. The defendants originate from Canada, Iran, Israel, Mexico and the Philippines.

According to court filings drafted by Department of Homeland Security agents, the defendants are each charged with a single count of providing false statements during naturalization proceedings. Investigators allege the individuals had previously registered to vote, and in some instances cast ballots over recent years, but denied having ever registered when later applying for US citizenship. None of the individuals currently face specific criminal counts for illegally casting ballots, though the false statement charge carries a maximum sentence of five years behind bars. Formal grand jury indictments have not yet been handed down.

The prosecutions follow charges brought against 28 individuals across the state last month. The actions are unfolding alongside a contested push by the Department of Justice to force California officials to segregate approximately 20,000 ballots belonging to people federal authorities argue could be noncitizens.

California election leaders have rejected the federal demands, stating the government's data is unreliable and that removing or isolating ballots amid an active election risks stripping legitimate US citizens of their voting rights. Several judges have turned away the federal requests, describing them as unlawful, and the US Supreme Court refused to hear the administration's appeals on Monday. A federal judge on Friday also barred the agency from threatening local election workers with prosecution.

Legal analysts and former prosecutors have voiced concern over the timing and visibility of the enforcement actions, pointing out that federal law enforcement typically refrains from overt operations near voting deadlines to prevent the perception of election interference. Voting by noncitizens remains exceptionally uncommon nationwide, and researchers emphasize that rare instances of noncitizens appearing on rolls often stem from bureaucratic confusion.

Civil rights advocates and election officials have also raised serious questions regarding the data driving the federal operation. An immigrant advocacy organization challenging the government's tactics noted in a court filing that over 40 percent of individuals flagged on the federal list were not even present on California voter rolls.

Essayli acknowledged on Monday that the government relied on third-party databases to identify individuals and that the information might not be entirely accurate, though he maintained that investigators had a high degree of confidence. Questions also surround Essayli's tenure, after a judge ruled last week that he was serving unlawfully because he lacks Senate confirmation, a decision currently under appeal.