By Naveen Athrappully

Four noncitizen residents of New Jersey have been charged in separate criminal complaints for allegedly voting in federal elections, which is illegal, and then lying about it when applying for U.S. citizenship.

The individuals were “non-citizens when they registered to vote in New Jersey,” the Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a May 1 statement.

“On their respective voter registration forms, however, they falsely certified and attested that they were United States citizens,” the DOJ said. “In order to register, and to vote, in federal elections, a person must be a United States citizen.”

Idan Choresh, 43, allegedly cast votes in the 2022 general election, which included electing members of the House of Representatives. Jacenth Beadle Exum, 70; and Abhinandan Vig, 33, allegedly voted in the 2020 general election, while the fourth, David Neewilly, 73, allegedly voted in both the 2020 and 2024 general elections, each of which included the presidential elections.

Neewilly is a citizen of Liberia and entered the United States around July 1998 as a refugee. Choresh, born in Israel, came to America under a B-2 tourist visa in September 2015, according to the Justice Department.

Beadle Exum, from Jamaica, entered the United States with a B-2 tourist visa in July 2000. Vig, born in India, was in America under the F-43 family visa, entering the country in or around June 2012.

All four were living in the United States with lawful permanent resident status, the DOJ said.

After allegedly voting illegally, the four individuals applied to become U.S. citizens by submitting an N-400, the form used to seek naturalization.

Form N-400 requires applicants to swear under penalty of perjury that the information they provided in the application is complete and true. However, the individuals are alleged to have falsely claimed to have never registered to vote or voted in federal elections.

The noncitizens were charged with various crimes including voting by an alien in a federal election, false statements in relation to naturalization, and procurement of citizenship or naturalization unlawfully. The charges carry maximum penalties of one to 10 years of imprisonment.

“This administration will not tolerate aliens who attempt to vote in our elections when they know they are not eligible,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said.

“This Justice Department will use every authority to protect the integrity of U.S. elections, including by prosecuting any noncitizens who lie about their legal status in an attempt to vote.”

The Epoch Times reached out to the legal representative of David Neewilly but did not receive a response by publication time. The Epoch Times was unable to contact representatives of the other three defendants.

Separately, in March, a noncitizen was charged with fraudulent voting in the 2024 federal election. The person also allegedly voted in the 2008 general election, the 2012 general election, the 2016 primary election, the 2016 general election, the 2020 primary election, and the 2020 general election.

Last year in March, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal officials to take the necessary steps to ensure that noncitizens do not vote in U.S. federal elections.

“Election fraud. You’ve heard the term? This will end it, hopefully,” Trump said at the time. “Perhaps some people think I shouldn’t be complaining because we won in a landslide, but we got to straighten out our election[s].”

Voting Bill

Meanwhile, lawmakers are pushing ahead with a bill designed to shore up election integrity.

In February, the SAVE America Act passed the House of Representatives. The bill would requires individuals to present photo identification documents to vote, asks states to obtain proof of citizenship in-person when they register a person to vote, and requires states to remove all noncitizens from their voter rolls, according to a Feb. 11 statement from Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), sponsor of the bill.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) criticized the passage of the bill in a Feb. 11 statement, calling it a “dangerous assault on democracy.”

Xavier Persad, senior policy counsel for ACLU’s National Political Advocacy Department, called the SAVE America Act a “thinly veiled attempt” to interfere with U.S. elections.

“Laws like this have historically resulted in many eligible citizens being delayed or denied access to the ballot due to paperwork issues, database mismatches, or bureaucratic error,” Persad said.

Roy justified the need for the bill in a Feb. 11 statement, calling it a “critical step” to restoring election integrity by making sure that only American citizens vote in federal elections.

“Over eighty percent of Americans—across party lines and across racial groups—support voter ID because it’s simple, reasonable, and common sense,” Roy said.

“I now call on the Senate to bring back the talking filibuster and force Democrats to explain to the American people why they oppose a basic election safeguard that enjoys broad bipartisan support.”

The bill is stuck in the Senate because of opposition from Democrats and some Republicans.