January 1, Feds Crack Down On Illegal Voting

Wyatt’s Take

• Federal agents are finally charging illegal immigrants who cast ballots in American elections
• These arrests prove that election integrity matters and the law still applies to noncitizens
• Working Americans deserve to know their votes count without foreign interference

Two illegal immigrants living in Pennsylvania were arrested and hit with federal charges in recent days for allegedly voting in American elections.

The pair is among four noncitizens nabbed by Homeland Security agents in the battleground state since Friday.

Haitian national Cliff Sanon, 39, allegedly voted in the November 2022 election and was seen in a photo shared by the Department of Justice being taken into custody by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

He is also accused of submitting an application to register to vote in Philadelphia County in February 2026. He had allegedly done so at least seven other times.

If convicted, Sanon could receive a maximum sentence of five years in prison, one year of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.

The feds also targeted Mexican illegal immigrant Dilea Ochoa-Perez, 43, who allegedly voted in Chester County in both the November 2022 and November 2024 general elections, according to the Justice Department. Ochoa-Perez was charged with two counts of voting as an alien.

Ochoa-Perez now faces a maximum sentence of two years behind bars, plus one year of supervised release, a $200,000 fine, and a $50 special assessment.

In a statement, HSI Philadelphia acting Special Agent in Charge Nathan Abel emphasized the “real consequences” of noncitizens casting votes in American elections.

“Every unlawful ballot can undermine confidence in the election process and diminish the voices of American citizens. HSI Philadelphia remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate election-related fraud and help protect the integrity of U.S. elections,” Abel said.

Federal authorities previously arrested two green card holders who allegedly voted in American elections. Sade Guppy, 37, who hails from Trinidad and Tobago, allegedly voted in Philadelphia County in the November 2022 general election, while Mexican national Eduardo Gallardo Maldonado, 66, allegedly voted in Philadelphia County in the November 2024 general election.

The Justice Department sued Pennsylvania in September 2025 for refusing to hand over its unredacted voter rolls, which the department said it needed to ensure noncitizens are removed. An Obama-appointed federal judge later dismissed the lawsuit, and the Justice Department appealed the ruling in July.

“Our sovereignty as a nation belongs to the American people and no one else,” U.S. Attorney David Metcalf of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania said in a statement. “Anyone, including illegal aliens, who votes illegally in our elections will be prosecuted for corrupting our democracy.”

Wyatt Matters

Middle America works hard, pays taxes, and follows the rules. They expect the same from everyone who lives here, especially when it comes to protecting the ballot box that decides our future.