Five people in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have been charged in separate federal cases involving allegations of illegal voting or fraudulent voter registration in the 2022 or 2024 elections, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday.
The defendants include two undocumented immigrants, two other non-citizens and one U.S. citizen accused of helping a non-citizen register and vote illegally, according to the Justice Department.
New Jersey case
In New Jersey, Mercedes Alexandra Cardoso of Union County was charged with voting as a non-citizen in a federal election.
According to the federal complaint, Cardoso was not a U.S. citizen when she registered through the New Jersey Division of Elections Online Voter Registration System. Prosecutors allege that she falsely certified on the registration form that she was a U.S. citizen.
Federal authorities say Cardoso, who entered the United States from Ecuador on a B-2 visa, later cast a ballot in the June 2024 primary election, which included candidates seeking the presidency and vice presidency. She was not a U.S. citizen at the time and therefore was not legally eligible to vote in a federal election, prosecutors allege.
Cardoso faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison if convicted and is scheduled to make her initial court appearance on September 8. The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services investigated the New Jersey case.
Charges in Pennsylvania
In Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Marisol Guzman, 50, was charged with voting as a non-citizen in the 2024 election. Her husband, Thomas Holtzman, 68, a U.S. citizen, was charged with allegedly helping her make a false citizenship statement and fraudulently register to vote.
A second Pennsylvania defendant, Katya Rodriguez, 30, of Harrisburg, was charged with making a false citizenship statement, fraudulent registration and voting as a non-citizen in the 2024 election.
Wisconsin case
In Wisconsin, Jesus Javier Jurado Garcia, 25, of Beloit, was charged with illegally voting as a non-citizen in the November 2022 election. Prosecutors allege he knew he was not a U.S. citizen when he cast the ballot.
The Trump administration has highlighted the cases as part of a broader effort to enforce federal election laws. Attorney General Todd Blanche said election fraud should be treated as a serious crime, while New Jersey U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer said federal authorities would investigate violations of election law in the state.
The five cases involve individual alleged violations across three states. The Justice Department announcement does not provide evidence about how widespread non-citizen voting is nationally.
All five defendants have been charged, not convicted, and are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Sources: U.S. Department of Justice; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey; Department of Homeland Security
By NJ RADAR Team