Two Nigerian citizens who hold lawful permanent resident status in the United States have been formally accused of unlawfully casting ballots in federal elections, despite not holding American citizenship.
The suspects, Mohammed Omar Hassan, 61, and Michael Agah, 74, are among 63 individuals charged by the US Department of Justice in a nationwide crackdown on alleged election-related offences.
Both men are green card holders, not undocumented immigrants. Their immigration status gives them permanent residence in the United States but does not make them American citizens or entitle them to vote in federal elections.
According to the Justice Department, Hassan was charged in the Southern District of Texas with voting by a non-US citizen.
Prosecutors alleged that the Nigerian national voted in the 2022 and 2024 elections.
Agah, who resides in the Western District of North Carolina, faces charges of voting by a non-US citizen and falsely claiming American citizenship to vote.
The department alleged that he declared himself a US citizen on an Authorization to Vote Form before casting a ballot in a federal election on November 5, 2024.
The charges were detailed in a statement issued by the Justice Department on Monday, November 2, 2026.
The department said the 63 individuals face various allegations, including voting by non-US citizens in federal elections, falsely claiming American citizenship to register or vote, and submitting fraudulent voter registration applications.
US Attorney General Todd Blanche described the development as the largest surge in voter-fraud arrests since President Donald Trump returned to office.
“Today’s announcement marks the largest surge of voter-fraud arrests since President Trump returned to office,” Blanche said.
“These foreign nationals allegedly took advantage of the trust of the American people and flouted the laws that govern our nation’s elections. This Department of Justice will continue investigating and prosecuting voter fraud to restore confidence in our electoral system,” he added.
The Justice Department disclosed that it had charged 195 non-US citizens across 25 states with illegal voting and registration offences in the preceding nine weeks, bringing the total number of people charged with voting fraud-related offences since the beginning of the Trump administration to 239.
The department clarified that the charges contained in complaints, indictments and informations are allegations, and that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in court.
What You Should Know
Two Nigerian permanent residents in the US have been arrested and charged as part of a major federal crackdown on illegal voting by non-citizens. While holding green cards gives these individuals legal residency rights, it does not grant them the right to vote in American federal elections.
- Potential Concerns: This case highlights strict foreign voting laws in the US and serves as a warning to immigrants about the severe legal consequences of participating in federal elections without citizenship.
- Broader Impact: The charges are part of a wider Department of Justice initiative targeting election-related offences, emphasizing heightened scrutiny on non-citizen voters across the country.
