Federal agents arrest 28 suspects in California voter fraud crackdown

Federal law enforcement agents charged 28 foreign nationals across California on Monday in a series of voter fraud cases. The Washington Examiner, the New York Post, and The Guardian reported that the arrests targeted individuals accused of fraudulently registering to vote in United States elections. According to the New York Post, the operation was conducted under an effort named Operation Protect the Vote. [1][2][3]

The suspects were selected from a list of more than 20,000 alleged noncitizens in the state, the New York Post reported. According to The Guardian, the Department of Justice stated that those arrested are legal permanent residents or green card holders charged in criminal complaints with federal offenses. Most of the suspects are accused of casting illegal ballots, although The Guardian noted that these remain unproven allegations. [2][3]

The arrests follow a lawsuit filed by the Justice Department against California, as reported by the Washington Examiner. Late last week, federal officials warned local authorities in Los Angeles County that they could face prosecution if they tabulate ballots from individuals identified by federal agencies as suspected noncitizens, according to msnbc.com. [1][4]

State officials have pushed back against the federal actions. California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated that the Justice Department is attempting to bully and intimidate public servants ahead of the midterm elections, msnbc.com reported. Local officials cited by the New York Post also denied that voter fraud is a widespread problem in California. [2][4]