Federal authorities have charged four non-citizens in New Jersey with crimes related to illegally voting in federal elections and making false statements during the naturalization process, according to a statement released by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The charges follow a joint investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Court records identify the defendants as Idan Choresh, 43, a citizen of Israel; Jacenth Emelyn Beadle Exum, 70, a citizen of Jamaica; David Gboty Neewilly, 73, a citizen of Liberia; and Abhinandan Vig, 33, a citizen of India.
According to federal officials, Choresh entered the U.S. in 2001, received a green card in July 2020, and voted in the 2022 election before applying for naturalization in May 2025.
He is charged with voting by an alien in a federal election, making false statements related to naturalization, and unlawful procurement of citizenship. Exum, who entered in 2000, became a lawful permanent resident in 2004, and was naturalized in August 2022, faces a false statements charge after allegedly voting in the 2020 election.
Neewilly entered the country in 1998, received his green card in June 2014, and applied for naturalization in May 2025. He is accused of voting in both the 2020 and 2024 federal elections, facing charges of illegal voting by an alien and making false statements. Vig, who arrived in 2012 and applied for citizenship in March 2024, is charged with unlawful procurement of citizenship related to casting a ballot in 2020.
“These aliens illegally voted in American elections,” Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in the release. “New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill confirmed thousands of non-citizens are registered to vote in New Jersey. We need the SAVE America Act to ensure only Americans elect American leaders.”
The charges coincide with broader federal efforts targeting non-citizen voting. Earlier this month, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin sent warning letters to election officials in four states, including New Jersey Secretary of State Dale Caldwell, asserting that tens of thousands of non-citizens were present on voter rolls.
Following the warning, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill acknowledged that roughly 6,600 non-citizens were registered to vote in the state. Reports released alongside the DHS statement also noted that approximately 75,000 non-citizens are summoned for jury duty in New Jersey each year.
The enforcement actions build on instructions issued by DHS in June directing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to pursue stricter penalties, including deportation, for non-citizens who cast illegal ballots in U.S. elections.
READ: Feds Ship Out Dangerous Felons: DHS Drops Details On Massive ICE Crackdown
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