Two Indians among 28 Green Card holders accused of election fraud in the US, says DOJ: Here's what we know

The DOJ says 28 Green Card holders were accused of election-related fraud. Most allegedly registered fraudulently or cast ballots despite lacking US citizenship. The case matters because lawful permanent residents may live and work legally in America but cannot vote in federal elections.

Amandeep Kaur, 30, allegedly registered fraudulently in December 2022 and voted in November 2024. Kamlesh Shah, 67, allegedly registered on Election Day in November 2024 and voted that day. Kaur faces a felony charge. Shah faces a misdemeanour charge for voting as an alien in a federal election.

Federal authorities arrested 11 defendants during California raids called Operation Protect the Vote. The DOJ did not clarify whether Kaur or Shah were among those arrested. The charges remain allegations, and the article does not report convictions or final outcomes.

A Green Card is the document associated with lawful permanent residence in the United States. It gives a noncitizen legal immigration status and allows that person to remain permanently, subject to immigration rules. It does not turn the holder into a US citizen.

That distinction controls federal voting eligibility. US federal elections are reserved for citizens, while lawful permanent residents remain foreign nationals. The DOJ says all 28 defendants were Green Card holders and stresses that they were not permitted to vote. Kaur was seeking US citizenship when she allegedly voted.

The case shows why immigration status and voting rights must not be confused. A permanent resident may be legally present but still barred from federal voting. The article describes alleged registrations and ballots, but it does not explain every citizenship-check procedure used by election officials.

The DOJ charged 28 foreign nationals in the case and arrested 11 during raids in California. Separately, federal authorities gave California a list of more than 20,000 people they considered likely noncitizen registrants. The figures describe different groups: defendants, arrested people, and possible noncitizen registrants.

The 28 defendants represent roughly 0.000012% of more than 227 million registered voters in the 2024 presidential election. More than 20,000 possible registrants represent roughly 0.009% of that nationwide total. These comparisons show the alleged cases are numerically tiny beside the overall registered electorate, although the DOJ says each unlawful vote threatens a lawful citizen’s vote.

The article also reports that about 90 people faced election-misconduct charges in 2026 before the raids, including 50 alleged noncitizens. It does not say how many of the 20,000 ultimately voted or were charged.

The article identifies several possible federal offences tied to the allegations. Voting by an alien in a federal election is described as a misdemeanour. Fraudulent voter registration and making false statements in a naturalisation application are described as felonies.

Kamlesh Shah was charged with voting by an alien in a federal election. That offence carries a statutory maximum of one year in federal prison. The DOJ says fraudulent registration and false statements in a naturalisation application each carry a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. Amandeep Kaur faces a felony charge, although the article does not specify which felony.

These are maximum statutory penalties, not automatic sentences. The defendants are accused, not convicted. The article reports charges and arrests, but gives no information about pleas, trials, sentencing, or whether every allegation will be proven in court.

The immediate criminal consequences depend on the offence and the court’s decision. The article says voting by an alien carries a maximum of one year in federal prison. Fraudulent registration and false statements in a naturalisation application are felonies with maximum penalties of five years each.

For example, Kaur was seeking US citizenship when she allegedly registered and voted. If a court convicted her of an offence involving fraud or false information, that conviction could undermine her application because naturalisation requires truthful, lawful conduct. Shah faces the lesser voting charge described in the release, with a one-year statutory maximum.

The article does not state that either person’s citizenship application was denied, nor does it specify deportation or other immigration action. Any such consequence would depend on the conviction, the exact offence, and immigration authorities’ decisions. The reported criminal penalties are maximums, not guaranteed sentences.

The DOJ said federal authorities sent California a list on October 13. They asked the state to set aside mail-in ballots from people identified as likely noncitizen registrants until their citizenship could be verified. The stated purpose was to protect citizens’ votes from unlawful dilution and safeguard election integrity.

California refused the request, according to the federal government. Federal authorities then filed a lawsuit seeking a court order requiring the ballots to be set aside. The dispute therefore concerned whether the state should pause counting certain ballots while federal officials’ citizenship concerns were reviewed.

Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter said each of the 28 defendants appeared on the list of more than 20,000 people supplied to California. The article says federal officials warned that counting ballots from likely noncitizens could expose election officials to prosecution for aiding a federal crime. It does not report the lawsuit’s outcome.

The basic safeguard is eligibility: federal voting requires US citizenship, while states administer registration and elections. Election officials maintain voter records, check registration information, and process ballots under state procedures. Ballots are then reviewed and counted according to those rules. The article does not provide a complete explanation of every verification step.

This case illustrates the division of responsibility. Federal authorities identified more than 20,000 people as likely noncitizen registrants and asked California to set aside related mail ballots. California reportedly refused. The federal government then sought a court order, arguing that counting unlawful ballots could dilute citizens’ votes and harm election integrity.

Protecting access requires officials to avoid rejecting lawful voters while investigating possible ineligibility. The article presents this as an unresolved federal-state conflict. It reports arrests and charges, but does not state how California’s verification process, the lawsuit, or the affected ballots ultimately concluded.