Undocumented woman charged for voting fraud, but research shows noncitizen voting is rare and overstated

An undocumented individual has been charged in Alabama for illegally assuming a U.S. citizen’s identity and using it to vote in multiple elections. U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona announced that Angelica Maria Francisco, 42, most recently of Russellville, faces a nine-count federal indictment, including false claims of citizenship in connection with voting, false statements in U.S. passport applications, and aggravated identity theft. Francisco, who has agreed to plead guilty to all charges, used a false identity to obtain a U.S. passport in 2011, and voted in the 2016 and 2020 elections under that identity.

The U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office contributed to the investigation. Despite the attention this case has garnered, research shows that such instances are rare and not indicative of a widespread problem.

Secretary of State Wes Allen issued a statement emphasizing his office’s commitment to ensuring that only eligible American citizens vote in Alabama elections. “I have been very clear that a top priority of this office is ensuring only eligible American citizens are voting in Alabama elections. I want to thank the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Alabama for their diligent efforts investigating and charging this individual. We will continue to assist law enforcement in every way possible as they prosecute individuals who vote illegally in Alabama elections to the fullest extent of the law,” Allen said.

However, broader research, including a study by the Cato Institute—a libertarian think tank funded by the Koch brothers—shows that noncitizen voting occurs in undetectable numbers. Cato’s findings, highlighted in a blog post by Alex Nowrasteh titled “Noncitizens Don’t Illegally Vote in Detectable Numbers,” emphasize that while illegal voting by noncitizens does occur, it is minimal and not significant enough to influence election outcomes. Audits in states like Nevada, Georgia, and North Carolina have consistently shown that the majority of alleged noncitizen voting incidents are due to survey misclassification or respondent error, not deliberate fraud.

Research from the Brennan Center and other experts further supports Cato’s position, noting that illegal voting by noncitizens is “vanishingly rare,”and not a credible threat to election integrity. These findings challenge politically charged claims of widespread noncitizen voting, highlighting that the robust systems in place effectively prevent such occurrences.

While individual cases like Francisco’s may fuel partisan commentary, they do not reflect a broader pattern of illegal noncitizen voting influencing U.S. elections. The ongoing narrative of widespread voter fraud, particularly among noncitizens, often serves as a tool for political manipulation rather than a reflection of reality.