Federal authorities have charged four illegal immigrants in New Jersey with crimes related to voting in federal elections and making false statements during the naturalization process. The charges follow a joint investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Defendants and Charges

Court records identify the defendants as Idan Choresh, 43, a citizen of Israel; Jacenth Emelyn Beadle Exum, 70, a citizen of Jamaica; David Gboty Neewilly, 73, a citizen of Liberia; and Abhinandan Vig, 33, a citizen of India. Choresh is charged with voting by an alien in a federal election, making false statements related to naturalization, and unlawful procurement of citizenship.

Exum faces a false statements charge after allegedly voting in the 2020 election. Neewilly is accused of voting in both the 2020 and 2024 federal elections, facing charges of illegal voting by an alien and making false statements. Vig is charged with unlawful procurement of citizenship related to casting a ballot in 2020.

Broader Implications

These charges coincide with broader federal efforts targeting non-citizen voting. Earlier this month, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin sent warning letters to election officials in four states, including New Jersey Secretary of State Dale Caldwell, asserting that tens of thousands of non-citizens were present on voter rolls.

Following the warning, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill acknowledged that roughly 6,600 non-citizens were registered to vote in the state. The enforcement actions build on instructions issued by DHS in June directing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to pursue stricter penalties, including deportation, for non-citizens who cast illegal ballots in U.S. elections.

Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.