HSI and FBI Arrest Ten Aliens for Voter Fraud in North Carolina

The right to vote on the leadership and legislation of America belongs only to American citizens

WASHINGTON - The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement after a joint investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) led to the arrest of TEN non-citizens, including an illegal alien, for illegally voting in several U.S. elections in North Carolina.

On October 14 and 15, ICE, HSI, and the FBI arrested the following aliens, including nine Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) and one illegal alien, after they were charged with voting by alien in a federal election for illegally voting in several U.S. elections:

• Edduard Omar Majano-Sosa, an illegal alien from El Salvador, charged with false claim to citizenship for illegally registering to vote in 2024 and voting by an alien. He illegally voted in the 2024 general election. He illegally entered the United States in July 2022 near El Paso, Texas, and was RELEASED into the country by the Biden Administration. He was arrested by HSI on October 15, 2026. He is facing an additional charge of prohibited person with a firearm for a pistol that was found in his vehicle during the arrest.
• Karl Paul Fout, an alien from Germany, charged withfalse claim to citizenship for illegally registering to vote in 2008 and voting by an alien. He illegally voted in SEVEN general elections from 2008 to 2024. Fout's criminal history includes prior convictions for TWO counts of possession of marijuana and cocaine with intent to sell and deliver and possession of cocaine. He was arrested by HSI Cary on October 15, 2026. He was lawfully admitted to the United States in February 1960.
• Lawton Caswell Broomfield E McKenzie, an alien from Jamaica, charged with false claim to citizenship for registering to vote in 2007 and 2012 and voting by an alien. He illegally voted in THREE general elections between 2012 and 2024. McKenzie's criminal history also includes convictions for manufacturing, possession, or distribution of controlled substances and arrests for disorderly conduct while intoxicated by alcohol or drugs, battery, disturbing the peace, trespassing, communicating threats, assault, and driving while impaired. He was arrested by ICE on October 15, 2026. He was lawfully admitted to the United States in November 1986.
• Lionel Paul, an alien from Haiti, charged with false claim to citizenship for registering to vote in 2024 and voting by an alien. He illegally voted in the 2024 general election. He was arrested by HSI Cary on October 15, 2026. Paul's criminal history also includes arrests for fleeing/eluding arrest with a motor vehicle and assault. He became an LPR in October 2018.
• James Edward Herrmann, an alien from Germany, charged with false claim to citizenship for registering to vote in 2018 and voting by an alien. He illegally voted in TWO general elections between 2018 and 2024. Herrmann's criminal history also includes a conviction for larceny. He was arrested by the FBI on October 14, 2026. He was lawfully admitted to the United States in December 1983.
• Ramona Abreu-Exia, an alien from Germany, charged with false claim to citizenship for illegally registering to vote in 2004 and voting by an alien. She illegally voted in EIGHT general elections from 2004 to 2024, as well as in the 2008 primary election. She was arrested by the FBI on October 14, 2026. She was lawfully admitted to the United States in October 1977.
• Mervin Sylvester Bogle, an alien from Jamaica, charged with falsely claiming citizenship to vote. He illegally registered to vote in 2024, and illegally voted in THREE general elections between 2008 and 2024. He was arrested by the FBI on October 15, 2026. He was lawfully admitted to the United States in February 1981.
• Robert Harold Corbett, an alien from Canada, charged with false claim to citizenship for registering to vote in 1998 and voting by an alien. He illegally voted in SIX general elections between 1998 and 2024. He was arrested by the FBI on October 14, 2026. He was lawfully admitted to the United States in December 1963.
• Ludgardys Olena Matthews, an alien from Panama, charged with false claim to citizenship for registering to vote in 2009 and voting by an alien. She illegally voted in THREE general elections between 2018 and 2024, as well as in the 2020 primary election. She was arrested by HSI Cary on October 15, 2026. She was lawfully admitted to the United States in October 1986 and was granted LPR status in September 2015 under the Obama Administration.
• Gjina Gojcaj McDonald, an alien from Montenegro, charged withfalse claim to citizenship for illegally registering to vote in 2008 and voting by an alien. She illegally voted in SEVEN general elections from 2008 to 2024, as well as in the 2012 primary election and the 2019 special election. She was arrested by the FBI on October 14, 2026. She was lawfully admitted to the United States in February 1969.

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Edduard Omar Majano-Sosa after his arrest by HSI

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Karl Paul Fout after his arrest

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Lawton Caswell Broomfield E McKenzie after his arrest

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Lionel Paul after his arrest

"These aliens have been arrested and charged with illegally voting in multiple elections," said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. "They knowingly violated our laws. Now, thanks to the devoted patriots of HSI and our partners at the Department of Justice, these aliens will have to answer for violating the sacred right of Americans to elect their own leadership. Let this be a message to any non-citizens out there who are thinking about voting in our elections: If you illegally vote, we will arrest you and you will be charged. Only American citizens should be electing American leaders."

"The right to vote is one of American citizens' most fundamental rights, and protecting our elections' integrity is a responsibility we take seriously," said Acting ICE Director David J. Venturella."When people illegally cast ballots, they undermine the law and the trust Americans place in our democratic process. These arrests send the message that election laws are not optional, and those who violate them will be held accountable. Working alongside our federal and state partners, we will continue to investigate election fraud and hold offenders accountable." 

"There is no more important right a citizen possesses above the right to vote. All other rights flow from this Constitutional principle when We the People select our government. Every non-citizen who chooses to illegally vote subverts our constitutional republic, actively canceling out the vote of a law-abiding citizen," said Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. "This is not a victimless crime - quite the opposite. Every voting citizen is a victim every time. These indictments should serve as a stark warning to anyone contemplating voting illegally in our 2026 election: we are watching, we will find you if you do it, and we will prosecute you."

"The integrity of federal elections is essential to the health of our democracy," said Reid Davis, FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina. "Every FBI field office assigns dedicated election-crimes coordinators because protecting the election process is core to our mission. When questions about voter eligibility arise, we work closely with our state and federal partners to review records, confirm the facts, and ensure election laws are honored. Any violation erodes public trust and dilutes valid votes. When any aspect of our democratic process is threatened, the FBI will act decisively to defend it."

This is part of the Trump Administration's broader focus on stopping non-citizens from voting in American elections. Recent examples include:

• In October, HSI arrested Lizbeth Almonte-Rosa, a naturalized U.S. citizen from the Dominican Republic, for registering to vote and then illegally voting in 2022 in New Jersey prior to her naturalization.
• In October, HSI arrested Andres Garcia , an alien from Cuba, who registered to vote and then illegally voted in 2022 and 2024 in Missouri.
• In October, HSI arrested Paulo Jorge Silva, an alien from Portugal, who registered to vote and then illegally voted in 2024 in Pennsylvania.
• In September, Secretary Mullin and Attorney General Todd Blanche held a press conference announcing federal indictments against ten non-citizens for illegally voting in Minnesota.
• In September, HSI arrested Mukeshkumar Somabhai Chaudhari, a non-citizen from India, for knowingly making a false claim of U.S. citizenship to vote in the 2024 election in Minnesota.
• In September, HSI and the FBI arrested Sanata Coulibaly, an alien from Senegal, who admitted to voting in 2020 and 2024 in New Jersey.
• In September, an HSI investigation led to the conviction of Evelyn Novelles Miller, an alien from the Philippines, who illegally voted in the 2024 election in Pennsylvania.
• In September, HSI arrested Ludwig Uriel Espejo-Carrillo, an alien from Mexico, and charged him with unlawful voting and false claim to U.S. citizenship after illegally voting in American elections in 2015.
• In September, ICE arrested Anthony Tyrone Higgs, an alien from the Bahamas who had illegally voted in the 2020 election, and whose criminal history includes convictions for TWO counts of possession of a weapon during a violent crime, TWO counts of grand larceny, armed robbery with a deadly weapon, criminal domestic violence, assault on a police officer, and resisting arrest.
• In September, ICE arrested Mariana Alexandra Dewey, an alien from Peru, for illegally misrepresenting herself as a U.S. citizen to vote in the 2024 election in Kansas.
• In August, Carlos Felipe Jaramillo-Grajales, a criminal illegal alien from Colombia, was sentenced to three years in prison after an ICE investigation led to him pleading guilty to committing identity theft to illegally vote in elections for more than 20 years.
• In July, HSI arrested Marian Charitun, an alien from Slovakia who had illegally voted in the 2022 election in New Jersey.
• In July, an HSI investigation led to the arrest of Denise Nataly Migliore, an alien from Australia who illegally voted in the 2022 and 2024 elections in Louisiana.
• In May, DHS and the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced charges against four non-citizens in New Jersey who illegally voted in federal elections and made false statements while applying for U.S. citizenship.
• In April, Jose Ceballos, an alien from Mexico, pleaded guilty to THREE counts of disorderly election conduct after illegally voting multiple times and falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen in Kansas.
• In March, ICE arrested Mahady Sacko, a criminal illegal alien from Mauritania who had been illegally voting in the United States since 2008.

In recent months, DHS has taken additional steps to safeguard the integrity and security of American elections. These measures include:

• In September, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released its 2026 Election Infrastructure Security Plan: Securing the Next 250.
• In July, Secretary Mullin sent letters to secretaries of state in several states across the country warning that tens of thousands of non-citizens are registered to vote.
• In July, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that grant recipients will be required to take several key actions on election integrity.
• In June, DHS directed ICE to enforce stricter penalties for non-citizens who illegally vote in American elections, including deportation.