Mexican green card holder convicted of illegally voting in US election: DHS

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

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed to Fox News Digital that José 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.

Authorities said Ceballos Armendáriz voted illegally several times and falsely claimed U.S. citizenship on voter registration forms, including a 1999 application in which he claimed he was a U.S. citizen.

He subsequently 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 of U.S. citizenship can make a noncitizen deportable, although DHS has not detailed any potential action in this case.

“This foreign national has been convicted of illegally voting in the US elections,” said Acting DHS Deputy Secretary Lauren Bis. “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 that 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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Documents reviewed by Fox News Digital show that José Ceballos-Armendariz verified that he was a U.S. citizen on a Kansas voter registration form, which authorities say was false. (Department of Homeland Security)

However, on his naturalization application, he checked “no” when asked if he had ever claimed to be a U.S. citizen, despite previously being a registered voter.

DHS said Ceballos Armendáriz also has a prior criminal conviction, having been convicted of assault in 1995.

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

Existing federal law (18 USC § 611: “Alien Voting” 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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People demonstrate in support of the SAVE America Act in front of the United States Capitol in Washington, DC (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images, File)

“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, common-sense legislation that requires voters to present photo identification and implements other critical measures to protect federal elections from fraud.

“Our elections belong to American citizens, not foreign citizens.”

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Despite 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 were processed during that time.

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