U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) has arrested Mukeshkumar Somabhai Chaudhari, a non-citizen, for allegedly knowingly making a false claim of United States citizenship to vote in the 2024 general election, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement on October 16, 2026. The Justice Department identified Chaudhari as an Indian national, and HSI investigated the case with assistance from the Fillmore County Sheriff's Office.
On September 10, a federal grand jury in the District of Minnesota returned a two-count indictment charging Chaudhari with allegedly making the false citizenship claim. According to the indictment, on or about November 5, 2024, Chaudhari signed the voter signature certificate required by Minnesota law to vote in the general election. The certificate required him to swear or affirm that he was a citizen of the United States. The indictment alleges Chaudhari was not a U.S. citizen and knowingly made the false citizenship statement in order to vote.
Source: INUS News — Illegal Voting Case Brings Federal Charges in Minnesota
The charges and the possible penalty
Chaudhari is charged with one count of false information in voting and one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to register to vote or vote. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each count — yaani up to ten years in total across both counts. An indictment is a charge, not a conviction, and Chaudhari is presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
"Our message to aliens who vote in American elections is clear: we will find you, arrest you, and you will face the consequences, including criminal charges and deportation," said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. "Voting is reserved for U.S. citizens, and falsely claiming citizenship to cast a ballot is a serious crime," said HSI St. Paul Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard, adding that HSI would continue working with law-enforcement partners to protect election systems. The federal case is separate from any administrative immigration process, although a conviction could carry additional immigration consequences.