Ahmedabad man arrested in US for ‘claiming citizenship to vote in 2024 presidential polls’

An Ahmedabad man has been arrested in the United States for allegedly posing as an American citizen to vote in the 2024 presidential election. He could be sentenced to a decade in prison if convicted.

Mukeshkumar Somabhai Chaudhari, an Indian national, is accused of falsely affirming his US citizenship on a voter certificate in Minnesota on November 5, 2024, when the country elected Donald Trump its president.

In a release on Friday, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested Chaudhari in connection with the case. A federal grand jury in the District of Minnesota returned a two-count indictment against him on September 10, accusing him of knowingly making a false claim of US citizenship to vote.

According to the indictment, Chaudhari signed a voter signature certificate required under the Minnesota law on election day. The document required voters to swear or affirm that they were US citizens. Prosecutors allege that Chaudhari was not a US citizen but knowingly made the declaration to cast his ballot.  The charges are one count of providing false information in voting and another of making a false claim of citizenship to register to vote or vote. Each carries a maximum prison sentence of five years, taking the potential maximum imprisonment to 10 years if he is convicted on both counts. Any sentence would be determined by a federal judge after considering applicable sentencing guidelines and statutory factors.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin issued a stern warning against non-citizens attempting to vote in American elections.

“Our message to aliens who vote in American elections is clear: we will find you, arrest you, and you will face the consequences, including criminal charges and deportation,” he said in the Homeland Security release. “Under President Trump’s leadership, this administration will never allow the votes of American citizens to be cancelled out by non-citizens illegally voting in our elections. Only American citizens should be electing American leaders,” he added.

The case is being investigated by HSI, which works under ICE. Travis Pickard, HSI St Paul’s special agent in charge, said voting was a privilege reserved for American citizens and warned against attempts to obtain it through false declarations.

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Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues. Expertise: Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including: Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground. Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure. Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case). Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions. Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read More

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