The United States Department of Justice announced on Monday that 28 lawful permanent residents, including two Indian nationals, have been charged with election fraud in California. The legal action follows an investigation into noncitizens allegedly registering to vote and casting ballots in the November 2024 general election.
The two Indian nationals identified by authorities are 30-year-old Amandeep Kaur of Rancho Palos Verdes and 67-year-old Kamlesh Shah of Sacramento. According to federal prosecutors, Kaur allegedly registered to vote in December 2022 and subsequently cast a ballot in the 2024 election while in the process of seeking US citizenship. Shah is accused of registering to vote and casting a ballot on the same day during the November 2024 general election.
These charges are part of a broader initiative titled 'Operation Protect the Vote,' which aims to ensure electoral integrity. As part of this operation, authorities conducted early morning raids across California, resulting in the arrest of 11 of the 28 defendants. It remains unconfirmed whether Kaur or Shah were among those taken into custody during these operations.
Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter addressed the media in Los Angeles, noting that the defendants were identified from a list of over 20,000 individuals flagged as likely noncitizen registrants, which was provided to California election officials last week. "All 28 foreign nationals charged are lawful permanent residents (LPRs), or 'green card' holders. Although LPRs have legal immigration status in the United States, they are not US citizens and are not permitted to vote in US elections," the Department of Justice stated.
The charges filed against the individuals include making false statements in naturalization applications and fraudulent voter registration. Both offenses are classified as felonies, each carrying a potential maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. Prior to these latest filings, the Justice Department had already charged approximately 90 individuals with election-related misconduct this year, including 50 cases involving noncitizens allegedly casting votes.
