A Mexican national and lawful permanent resident has been convicted of illegally voting in U.S. elections after falsely claiming citizenship on voter registration forms, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed.
Jose Ceballos-Armendariz, who has held a green card since 1990, pleaded guilty to three counts of disorderly election conduct following prosecution by the Kansas Attorney General's Office. Officials said he unlawfully voted multiple times and falsely claimed U.S. citizenship on voter registration forms, including a 1999 application in which he affirmed he was a citizen of the United States.
Ceballos-Armendariz later applied for U.S. citizenship in February 2025. On that naturalization application, he marked "no" when asked whether he had ever claimed to be a U.S. citizen — contradicting his earlier voter registration. He also has a prior criminal conviction, having been found guilty of battery in 1995.
Under federal immigration law, false claims to U.S. citizenship can make a noncitizen removable. DHS has not detailed any potential removal action in this specific case.
What the Right Is Saying
Republicans and immigration enforcement advocates have praised the conviction as evidence of the importance of election integrity measures. They argue that cases like Ceballos-Armendariz's demonstrate why the SAVE program and additional voter verification measures are necessary.
DHS acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said the conviction illustrates the Trump administration's commitment to preventing noncitizens from participating in U.S. elections. "Nothing is more fundamental than the integrity and security of our elections," Bis said. "Our elections belong to American citizens, not foreign citizens."
Republicans have pointed to the SAVE program data showing more than 24,000 potential non-U.S. citizens identified on voter rolls since April 2025 as justification for continued enforcement and legislative action. They have urged Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which would require voters to present photo ID and implement other verification measures.
What the Left Is Saying
Democrats and voting rights advocates have raised concerns about the broader use of the SAVE program, arguing that efforts to purge noncitizens from voter rolls could disproportionately affect eligible voters and undermine access to the ballot.
Some progressive groups have cautioned that verification systems can produce errors, potentially disenfranchising legitimate voters, particularly in communities with high numbers of naturalized citizens. They have emphasized the need for due process and accurate record-keeping rather than aggressive enforcement.
Democratic lawmakers have also noted that existing federal law already prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections, arguing that additional legislative measures are unnecessary and could create barriers to participation for eligible voters.
What the Numbers Show
Federal law under 18 U.S.C. § 611, part of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) of 1996, prohibits noncitizens, including lawful permanent residents, from voting in elections for all federal offices.
Since April 2025, more than 24,000 potential non-U.S. citizens have been identified on voter rolls through the SAVE program and referred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for further investigation, according to DHS. More than 60 million voter verification queries have been processed during that time.
Ceballos-Armendariz was convicted of three counts of disorderly election conduct. He has held lawful permanent resident status since 1990 — a period of 35 years at the time of his February 2025 naturalization application.
The Bottom Line
The conviction of a lawful permanent resident for illegal voting highlights the intersection of immigration law and election administration. The case is being cited by the Trump administration as evidence of the effectiveness of the SAVE program in identifying potential noncitizen voters.
DHS has not announced specific removal proceedings against Ceballos-Armendariz, though false claims to citizenship can serve as a basis for removal under federal immigration law. The case remains pending in Kansas state court for sentencing.
What to watch: Whether Congress advances the SAVE America Act, and how states implement voter verification systems. The administration has pointed to enforcement actions like this case as part of broader efforts to prevent noncitizen voting ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.