# Justice Department Charges Over 20 in California Voter Sweep

> Federal authorities charged 28 noncitizen voters in California as part of Operation Protect the Vote.
- Title: Justice Department Charges Over 20 in California Voter Sweep
- Summary: Federal authorities charged 28 noncitizen voters in California as part of Operation Protect the Vote. The Justice Department charged 28 people in California…
- Keywords: justice department, california, operation protect the vote, noncitizen voters, voter fraud, federal charges, us attorney general, trent mccotter, rob bonta, california attorney general, elections, midterm elections
- Source: The Boston Globe — https://bostonglobe.com/2026/10/19/nation/california-noncitizen-voters
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: justice department, california, operation protect the vote, noncitizen voters, voter fraud, federal charges, us attorney general, trent mccotter, rob bonta, california attorney general, elections, midterm elections
## Federal Charges in California
Federal authorities charged more than two dozen foreign nationals in California as part of a statewide sweep targeting alleged noncitizen voters.
## Trump Administration Focus
The arrests are part of a Trump administration effort to root out noncitizen voting ahead of next month’s midterm elections.
## California Blamed for Fraud
Federal officials blamed California officials for facilitating noncitizen voting through inadequate voter roll maintenance and hiding it from the public.
## Operation Protect the Vote
The Justice Department charged 28 people as lawful permanent residents who are not citizens permitted to legally vote.
## Trent McCotter's Statement
Trent McCotter, acting deputy attorney general, said the charges cause real damage to real elections and real American citizens.
## California's Response
California’s Democratic attorney general said there is no widespread voter fraud and that one-off examples are a drop in the bucket.
## Federal Lawsuit Against California
The Justice Department sued California and warned local election workers who process noncitizen ballots risk investigation and prosecution.
## 20,000 Names in Dispute
The federal government identified 20,000 names as likely noncitizens who were sent ballots for the Nov. 3 election.
## Omar Muñoz Arrested
A 72-year-old Belize-born man was arrested for voting illegally in four elections.
## Key takeaway

The Justice Department charged 28 people in California for illegal voting, accusing state officials of facilitating noncitizen voter fraud.