Two Indians among 28 green card holders charged with election fraud in California

The central allegation is that lawful permanent residents took part in elections despite not being US citizens. The Justice Department charged 28 green card holders with offences including fraudulent voter registration, voting, and false statements in naturalisation applications. The cases matter because noncitizens are not permitted to vote in US elections, while disputed investigations can also affect public trust and eligible voters.

The article gives two examples. Kamlesh Shah allegedly registered on Election Day in November 2024 and voted that day. Amandeep Kaur allegedly registered in December 2022 and voted in the November 2024 election while seeking US citizenship. Both were identified as Indian nationals living in California.

The Justice Department said all 28 appeared on a list of more than 20,000 likely noncitizen registrants. California officials dispute the evidence behind that list. Election experts caution that these prosecutions do not prove widespread noncitizen voting, and aggressive checks could remove eligible voters.

A green card is the common name for proof of lawful permanent resident status. It allows a person who is not a US citizen to live in the United States permanently under immigration law. The status is important because it provides legal residence, but it does not itself provide citizenship or voting rights.

The article describes every defendant as a lawful permanent resident, or green card holder. It specifically distinguishes that status from citizenship. Kaur was seeking US citizenship when she was accused of registering and voting. Shah was also identified as a green card holder, not a citizen, when the Justice Department brought its case.

The practical difference matters at election time. Citizens may be eligible to vote, while lawful permanent residents are not permitted to vote in US elections. The article does not detail the citizenship application process, but it reports that false statements in naturalisation applications can also lead to charges.

The key distinction is between living legally in the United States and being a US citizen. A green card gives lawful permanent resident status, but the Justice Department says lawful permanent residents are not permitted to vote in US elections. That rule protects the principle that national election participation belongs to citizens.

The article applies this distinction to all 28 defendants. They were lawful permanent residents, so their alleged registrations and votes were treated as election-related offences. Shah allegedly registered and voted on the same day in November 2024. Kaur allegedly registered in 2022 and voted in the 2024 election while seeking citizenship.

The restriction matters beyond these cases because voting eligibility is checked during registration and election administration. The article does not describe every eligibility check. It does show the dispute’s tension: preventing ineligible voting while avoiding mistaken accusations or actions that could disenfranchise eligible voters.

The numbers show a large gap between suspected registrations and filed criminal cases. California election officials received a Justice Department list containing more than 20,000 people described as likely noncitizen registrants. Only 28 people were charged in the California announcement, so the charges represent a small portion of that list.

The Justice Department separately said it had charged 113 noncitizens across 20 states with voting or registration offences during the preceding seven weeks. That national figure includes the California cases, according to the timing and subject described, but the article does not give a precise breakdown. It also does not say that everyone on the 20,000-person list committed an offence.

That distinction is crucial. A database match or suspected registration is not the same as a criminal charge. California officials question the list’s evidence, while experts warn these cases do not establish widespread noncitizen voting. Further data could confirm or challenge individual cases.

Criminal exposure can be serious when election records or immigration applications contain deliberate falsehoods. The Justice Department identified fraudulent voter registration and false statements in naturalisation applications among the charges. It said both offences are felonies, with a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.

The article’s examples show how the allegations can overlap. Kaur allegedly registered to vote and cast a ballot while seeking US citizenship. Shah allegedly registered and voted on the same day. The cases therefore involve both alleged election conduct and, where applicable, statements connected with naturalisation. The article does not specify which defendant faces every listed charge.

The precise consequences depend on the charges and case outcomes. The source gives the five-year maximum for fraudulent registration and false statements, not an automatic sentence. It also does not provide a separate maximum penalty for illegal voting. A charge is an allegation, and defendants remain subject to the legal process.

The Justice Department and California officials disagree over both the list’s accuracy and its consequences. The department says the list contains more than 20,000 likely noncitizen registrants and links all 28 defendants to it. California officials say the federal government has not provided enough evidence to establish that the listed people are noncitizens.

The disagreement affects ballots, not just records. The Justice Department asked a federal court to stop California and Los Angeles County from processing ballots returned by people on the list. It argues that illegal votes could undermine election integrity. California officials respond that withholding or refusing to count ballots could violate federal and state law and disenfranchise eligible voters.

The methodology remains contested. California officials have questioned how the people were identified. The federal government says access to additional voter-registration data would help verify citizenship. Until identities and records are checked, a list entry does not by itself establish illegal voting.

Eligibility checks aim to separate people who may vote from people who may not. Officials review voter-registration information and compare it with other available records, including data that may help verify citizenship. The article does not spell out California’s full procedure. It does say the federal government wants additional voter-registration data to verify the citizenship status of people on its list.

The mechanism can create uncertainty when records do not match cleanly. A person may appear on a list because information is incomplete, outdated, or interpreted incorrectly. That is why California officials say the federal government has not provided enough evidence to establish that everyone listed is a noncitizen. A list entry is therefore not automatically proof of illegal registration or voting.

Aggressive checks can produce two kinds of harm. They may help identify genuine violations, but they can also remove eligible voters or prevent valid ballots from being counted. Election law experts warned about those risks and said the cases do not establish widespread noncitizen voting. Better verification is central to the dispute.