Five Philippine nationals with green cards face federal election-related charges in California
The US Justice Department said on 2 November that it had charged 63 people nationwide over election-related crimes, including five Philippine nationals who are lawful permanent residents in California. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Five Philippine nationals living in California are among 63 people the US Department of Justice charged over illegal voting, fraudulent voter registration and related election crimes, the department announced on Monday, 2 November. According to the Justice Department, all five are lawful permanent residents, commonly known as green card holders.
What the Justice Department alleges
| District | Philippine nationals charged | Allegation, per the Justice Department |
|---|---|---|
| Central District of California | 1 | False statements on a naturalization application after allegedly claiming US citizenship to register and vote |
| Eastern District of California | 4 | Illegally voting in the November 2024 presidential election; one is also charged over the November 2022 midterm |
According to the Justice Department, the Central District defendant allegedly registered to vote in 2009 by claiming US citizenship and voted by mail in May 2020, November 2024 and June 2026.
CBS Los Angeles reported that the Central District defendant is a citizen of the Philippines living in Palmdale. First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli said the six new Southern California charges bring the total number of defendants in "Operation Protect the Vote" to 34, according to CBS Los Angeles.
The wider context
Attorney General Todd Blanche called the announcement "the largest surge of voter-fraud arrests since President Trump returned to office". The Justice Department said it has charged 195 noncitizens across 25 states with illegal voting and registration offences in the last nine weeks.
CBS Los Angeles reported that the press office for California Governor Gavin Newsom has pushed back on claims of widespread voter fraud. The outlet also noted that California has more than 23 million registered voters.
What the charges cover
According to the Justice Department, the cases announced include voting by noncitizens in federal elections and false claims of US citizenship to register to vote or to vote. CBS Los Angeles reported that all six new Southern California defendants, including the Palmdale resident, were charged with making false statements on their naturalization applications.
The Justice Department stressed that a complaint, indictment and information merely contain accusations, and that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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- On 2 November 2026 the US Justice Department announced charges involving 63 people nationwide over election-related crimes.
- Five of those charged are Philippine nationals who are lawful permanent residents in California: one in the Central District and four in the Eastern District.
- CBS Los Angeles reported that six new Southern California charges bring the 'Operation Protect the Vote' total to 34 defendants.
- All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty, the Justice Department said.
Official sources
Kislap reports this story for general information only. Nothing here is immigration, legal, financial, tax, medical, employment, or other professional advice; check official sources and speak with a qualified professional before acting.