# Illegal immigrant arrested for voting in federal election

> DHS arrests Guatemalan woman for allegedly voting in Indiana election.
- Title: Illegal immigrant arrested for voting in federal election
- Summary: DHS arrests Guatemalan woman for allegedly voting in Indiana election. Helda Araceli Mendez-Merida, a Guatemalan illegal immigrant, was arrested by ICE for…
- Keywords: helda araceli mendez-merida, dhs, indiana, guatemala, ice, federal election, voter fraud, news, politics, Illegal, immigrant, arrested
- Source: Fox News — https://foxnews.com/politics/illegal-immigrant-arrested-indiana-allegedly-voting-federal-election-dhs
- Author: Louis Casiano
- Published: 2026-09-18T00:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: helda araceli mendez-merida, dhs, indiana, guatemala, ice, federal election, voter fraud, news, politics
## DHS arrests Guatemalan woman
DHS arrested Helda Araceli Mendez-Merida, a Guatemalan illegal immigrant, for allegedly voting in a federal election.

> The patriots of ice arrested this illegal alien from guatemala after she illegally voted in a past election
## Arrested in Indiana
Helda Araceli Mendez-Merida was arrested by ICE officers in Indianapolis on Sept. 3.
## DHS says she stole votes
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated the woman's vote steals votes from American citizens.

> This illegal alien will be deported so she can never again poison our elections
## DHS claims she entered illegally
Mendez-Merida allegedly entered the U.S. through Arizona in September 2015 during the Obama administration.
## ICE says voting is a citizen right
ICE Enforcement Division Acting Assistant Director Patricia Hyde stated voting is a privilege reserved for U.S. citizens.

> Voting in u.s. elections is a privilege that is reserved exclusively for u.s. citizens, and we cannot allow that sacred right to be perverted by foreign nationals who seek to undermine american democracy
## What happens next
Mendez-Merida will be deported after an immigration judge issued a final order of removal in September 2019.
## Key takeaway

Helda Araceli Mendez-Merida, a Guatemalan illegal immigrant, was arrested by ICE for allegedly voting in a federal election, which DHS says steals votes from American citizens.