{"id":17592,"date":"2018-09-11T12:09:29","date_gmt":"2018-09-11T16:09:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/live-immigrationreform.pantheonsite.io\/?p=17592"},"modified":"2018-12-28T09:59:46","modified_gmt":"2018-12-28T14:59:46","slug":"non-citizens-face-jail-for-voting-in-north-carolina","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.immigrationreform.com\/2018\/09\/11\/non-citizens-face-jail-for-voting-in-north-carolina\/","title":{"rendered":"Non-Citizens Face Jail for Voting in North Carolina"},"content":{"rendered":"
In the run-up to the November elections, more than a dozen foreign nationals<\/a> face prison time and heavy fines for voting in North Carolina, according to a new federal task force.<\/p>\n The federal indictments may be the tip of the iceberg. Federal agents have subpoenaed more than 20 million North Carolina voter records covering eight years as part of a deepening inquiry<\/a> into voter fraud in the Tar Heel State.<\/p>\n Last month, 17 foreign nationals were indicted for falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to register to vote and unlawful voting in the 2016 elections. If convicted, they could be sentenced to up six years in prison and slapped with six-figure fines.<\/p>\n Separately, criminal charges of fraud, misuse of visas and unlawful voting were filed against Diana Patricia Franco-Rodriguez, 26, of Mexico. She could get up to 26 years behind bars and a $350,000 fine.<\/p>\n In addition to Mexico, the indicted foreign nationals hail from El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Nigeria, the Philippines, Korea, Japan, Panama, Grenada, Guyana, Germany, Poland and Italy.<\/p>\n A U.S. citizen, Denslo Allen Paige, 66, was charged with aiding and abetting one of the Mexican nationals in falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to register to vote. Paige could receive up to five years in prison, along with a $250,000 fine.<\/p>\n The indictments stem from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement\u2019s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) as part of a newly created Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF) in the Eastern District of North Carolina. DBFTFs combine federal, state and local law enforcement resources to investigate and disrupt fraud schemes.<\/p>\n RELATED: What do states and USCIS have to hide?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n