DHS Directs ICE to Deport Foreign Citizens Who Illegally Vote in Federal Elections

The directive instructs the agency that they don’t need a conviction to deport non-Americans who illegally vote or make a false claim of citizenship.
DHS Directs ICE to Deport Foreign Citizens Who Illegally Vote in Federal Elections
Election workers sort ballots at Contra Costa County's election operations facility in Martinez, Calif., on May 27, 2026. Benjamin Fanjoy/Getty Images
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The Department of Homeland Security has directed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) leadership to deport foreign citizens who vote in federal elections or make a false claim of citizenship.

The order was given hours after the agency’s general counsel, James Percival, issued a directive on June 9 to the department’s principal legal adviser for leadership to enforce stricter penalties, including deportation, for non-Americans who illegally vote in American elections.

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Jill McLaughlin
Jill McLaughlin
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Jill McLaughlin is an award-winning journalist covering politics, environment, and statewide issues. She has been a reporter and editor for newspapers in Oregon, Nevada, and New Mexico. Jill was born in Yosemite National Park and enjoys the majestic outdoors, traveling, golfing, and hiking.