Mexican national convicted of illegally voting in US after false citizenship claims faces removal: DHS

FIRST ON FOX: A Mexican national who illegally voted in U.S. elections and falsely claimed to be a citizen has been convicted and could face removal under federal immigration law.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed to Fox News Digital that Jose Ceballos-Armendariz, a lawful permanent resident who has held a green card since 1990, pleaded guilty to three counts of Disorderly Election Conduct following prosecution by the Kansas Attorney General’s Office.

Officials said Ceballos-Armendariz unlawfully voted multiple times and falsely claimed U.S. citizenship on voter registration forms, including a 1999 application in which he affirmed he was a citizen of the United States.

He later applied for U.S. citizenship in February 2025. DHS said he falsely stated on that application that he had never claimed to be a U.S. citizen.

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Under federal immigration law, false claims to U.S. citizenship can make a noncitizen removable, though DHS has not detailed any potential action in this case.

"This alien has now been convicted of illegally voting in American elections, voting in American elections," DHS acting assistant secretary Lauren Bis said. "The SAVE program is a critical tool for state and local governments to safeguard the integrity of elections across the country."

Records provided by DHS and reviewed by Fox News Digital show Ceballos-Armendariz checked "yes" when asked if he was a U.S. citizen on a Kansas voter registration form and signed to affirm the information was true.

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On his naturalization application, however, he marked "no" when asked whether he had ever claimed to be a U.S. citizen, despite his prior voter registration.

DHS said Ceballos-Armendariz also has a prior criminal conviction, having been found guilty of battery in 1995.

President Donald Trump has made election integrity a central focus of his administration, with officials pointing to enforcement actions like this case as part of broader efforts to prevent noncitizens from participating in U.S. elections.

Existing federal law — 18 U.S.C. § 611: "Voting by aliens" under the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) of 1996 — prohibits noncitizens, including lawful permanent residents, from voting in elections for all federal offices.

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"Nothing is more fundamental than the integrity and security of our elections," Bis said. "That’s why the Trump Administration has repeatedly called on Congress to pass the SAVE America Act — commonsense legislation that requires voters to present photo ID and implements other critical measures to protect federal elections from fraud. 

"Our elections belong to American citizens, not foreign citizens."

Despite the IIRIRA, since April 2025, more than 24,000 potential non-U.S. citizens have been identified on voter rolls through the SAVE program and referred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for further investigation, according to DHS. 

Officials said more than 60 million voter verification queries have been processed during that time.

Federal officials say the system allows states to verify citizenship status and prevent unlawful voting, and they continue to urge broader adoption nationwide.