Federal prosecutors have charged seven noncitizens in North Texas with allegedly voting or attempting to vote in federal elections. The cases involve alleged false claims of U.S. citizenship, voter registration and ballots cast during the 2024 election. Six defendants were indicted on September 10, while a seventh was charged by criminal complaint on September 11.
The defendants include lawful permanent residents from Nigeria, Mexico, India and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, along with one Mexican national described as an unlawful immigrant. Prosecutors say the cases concern whether the defendants were legally permitted to vote, not the candidates or parties supported by any alleged votes.
| 1) | Investigation and federal charges |
| 2) | Arrests and case timeline |
| 3) | Allegations against seven defendants |
| 4) | Data access and political scrutiny |
| 5) | Prosecutors’ stated election rationale |
Investigation and federal charges
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas announced the charges as part of a federal effort to identify suspected election-related crimes. The alleged conduct occurred primarily in Dallas, Tarrant and surrounding North Texas jurisdictions. The offenses include voting by a noncitizen and making false citizenship statements to register or cast a ballot.
Most of the alleged conduct concerns the 2024 election cycle, although one case involves earlier voter registration activity. The charges remain allegations, and the defendants are entitled to due process.
Arrests and case timeline
Six defendants were indicted on September 10, and a seventh was charged through a criminal complaint on September 11. Federal agents arrested six people over the following several days.
Moises Anwar Arellano Alba had been considered a fugitive after being ordered deported in July. Authorities said he surrendered to federal agents on the morning the charges were announced. Homeland Security Investigations participated in the arrests and case development.
“It’s important to clean up our elections and make sure that they’re free and fair,” U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould said.
Allegations against seven defendants
Helen Sayen Adams, a 67-year-old Nigerian citizen and lawful permanent resident since May 2024, is accused of falsely claiming U.S. citizenship on a Texas voter-registration application in June 2024 and voting in Tarrant County in November 2024. Joshua Nmelichukwu Akpom, a 27-year-old Nigerian citizen and lawful permanent resident since 2016, is accused of denying prior voter registration and voting on a 2026 naturalization application. Prosecutors cited that offense because of the statute of limitations on the earlier conduct.
Carlos Salas Barrios, a 41-year-old Mexican citizen and lawful permanent resident since 2018, is accused of casting a provisional ballot in Tarrant County in November 2024. The ballot was rejected, but prosecutors allege casting it was still unlawful. Khalwinder Singh Bhengura, a 69-year-old Indian citizen and lawful permanent resident since 2022, is accused of claiming U.S. citizenship during voter registration and a driver’s license application, then voting in November 2024.
Celestin Katubadi, a 20-year-old citizen of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and lawful permanent resident, is accused of falsely claiming citizenship on a provisional-voter affidavit and casting a provisional ballot in Tarrant County. Rocio Thrasher, a 38-year-old Mexican citizen and lawful permanent resident since 2017, is accused of falsely declaring citizenship when registering in June 2024 and voting in November.
Arellano Alba, a 36-year-old Mexican national described by prosecutors as an unlawful immigrant, is accused of falsely claiming citizenship while applying for a Texas driver’s license in 2023 and voting early in the 2024 election in Dallas County. Prosecutors also said he had a prior felony conviction and later acknowledged voting during immigration proceedings.
Data access and political scrutiny
The investigation has drawn criticism from Democratic lawmakers over federal handling of voter records. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Alex Padilla made public a complaint from an anonymous Department of Homeland Security whistleblower. The complaint alleged that personnel assigned to the department’s “Unlawful Voter Initiative” were directed to access state voter data in ways that might conflict with state law.
The Department of Homeland Security rejected the allegations. A spokesperson said investigators accessed publicly available voter-roll data and compared it with information about known noncitizens in federal systems. Raybould defended the approach.
Prosecutors’ stated election rationale
Raybould said prosecutors are focused on whether a person was legally permitted to vote rather than which candidate received a ballot. He said unlawful voting can affect the weight of ballots cast by eligible citizens and undermine confidence in elections. Other recent charges in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Wisconsin have involved alleged illegal voting or fraudulent registration tied to the 2022 and 2024 elections.
| Number | Key Point |
|---|---|
| 1 | Seven noncitizens face federal charges connected to alleged voting or false citizenship claims. |
| 2 | Most allegations involve the November 2024 election in North Texas. |
| 3 | Some provisional ballots were rejected, but prosecutors still allege the acts were unlawful. |
| 4 | Federal officials say they used government databases and publicly available voter information. |
Summary
The North Texas investigation has produced seven federal cases involving alleged noncitizen voting, false citizenship claims or both. Authorities have made arrests and defended their data-matching methods, while lawmakers have questioned whether state voter information was accessed lawfully. The cases will proceed through federal court, where prosecutors must prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the defendants accused of doing?
They are accused of voting or attempting to vote in federal elections while being noncitizens and, in several cases, falsely claiming U.S. citizenship during registration or related applications.
When did the alleged voting occur?
Most alleged voting or attempted voting occurred during the November 2024 general election, with some registration activity occurring earlier.
Were all ballots counted?
No. Prosecutors said some provisional ballots were rejected, but allege that casting them was still unlawful under federal and Texas law.
Why has the investigation drawn criticism?
Democratic lawmakers raised concerns about how federal personnel accessed and cross-referenced state voter records. Homeland Security officials said the data was publicly available and lawfully analyzed.