The Department of Homeland Security has directed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to pursue deportation proceedings against undocumented immigrants who illegally vote in American elections, reinforcing the Trump administration’s broader effort to tighten election security and strengthen enforcement of existing immigration laws.
The new directive was outlined in a letter sent Monday by DHS General Counsel James Percival to ICE leadership. In the memo, Percival instructed immigration officials to apply stricter penalties to non-citizens who unlawfully participate in U.S. elections, including removal from the country.
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, non-citizens who illegally vote in federal elections can be subject to deportation. DHS officials argued that unlawful voting often accompanies another serious violation: falsely claiming U.S. citizenship.
“The importance of free, fair, and honest elections is without question,” Percival wrote. “Echoing the words of President Trump, ‘the right of American citizens to have their votes properly counted and tabulated, without illegal dilution, is vital to determining the rightful winner of an election.’ Illegal voting by aliens dilutes the votes of American citizens and undermines our democracy. It must have consequences.”
The directive aligns with President Donald Trump’s March 2025 executive order titled “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections.” That order called for a series of changes aimed at strengthening election safeguards, including enhanced voter registration verification, updated voting system standards, and stricter oversight of mail-in voting procedures.
Administration officials have repeatedly emphasized preventing non-citizen voting as a central component of those reforms.
The announcement comes as federal authorities continue pursuing several recent cases involving alleged unlawful voting by non-citizens.
In March, Mauritanian citizen Mahady Sacko was charged in connection with voter fraud allegations after authorities claimed he had voted in every presidential election since 2008.
Two months later, federal prosecutors announced charges against four additional non-citizens accused of illegally participating in multiple federal elections and making false statements during the citizenship application process.
Federal law prohibits non-citizens from voting in federal elections, and violations can carry both criminal penalties and immigration consequences.
The latest directive follows another significant policy change implemented by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in August 2025. Under revised guidance, lawful permanent residents who unlawfully register to vote or cast ballots can be denied U.S. citizenship during the naturalization process.
Supporters of the administration’s approach argue that strict enforcement helps preserve confidence in election outcomes and ensures that only eligible citizens participate in the democratic process. Critics have often pointed to studies suggesting that documented cases of non-citizen voting are relatively uncommon compared with the total number of ballots cast nationwide.
