Two Indian citizens among 28 green card holders accused of illegal voting in California

Federal authorities in the United States have charged 28 lawful permanent residents with election crimes in California, including two Indian nationals.

The Charges

The United States Department of Justice announced that 30-year-old Amandeep Kaur and 67-year-old Kamlesh Shah face accusations of signing up as voters improperly and casting votes during the late-2024 American general vote. Officials noted that 11 of the 28 total accused individuals were taken into custody during morning raids across the state. These arrests form part of a federal effort named Operation Protect the Vote, which aims to find and stop illegal voting and protect the fairness of elections. It remains unconfirmed whether the two Indian citizens were among those arrested.

Specific Cases

Kamlesh Shah lives in Sacramento. The Justice Department states he signed up to vote on the exact day of the November 2024 general vote and cast a ballot that same day. Amandeep Kaur lives in Rancho Palos Verdes and is currently trying to get U.S. citizenship. According to authorities, she signed up as a voter in December 2022 and cast a ballot in the November 2024 vote. All 28 accused people hold green cards, giving them legal immigration status in the country. However, green card holders do not have U.S. citizenship and cannot legally vote in American elections.

Penalties and Scale

The legal charges include making false claims on citizenship forms, while several defendants also face counts of illegal voter registration. Both offenses count as felonies and carry a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter stated in Los Angeles that every single one of the 28 accused individuals appeared on a list of more than 20,000 likely noncitizen voters sent to California election officials last week. Before this announcement, the Justice Department had charged roughly 90 people for election misconduct throughout the year, which includes 50 accused of voting as noncitizens, while the country had over 227 million registered voters during the 2024 presidential contest.

Context

Green card holders enjoy permanent residence rights in the United States but cannot vote in federal elections, which remain strictly limited to citizens. The Department of Justice routinely oversees federal election laws to ensure that only eligible citizens participate in the voting process. State election officials and federal agencies often work together to maintain accurate voter rolls.