The US Department of Justice has charged two Nigerian lawful permanent residents, Mohammed Omar Hassan and Michael Agah, for allegedly voting in federal elections despite not being US citizens. Hassan, 61, and Agah, 74, were charged in separate cases over allegations of illegally voting in federal elections. Both men hold green cards, which grant them permanent residence in the US but do not confer citizenship.
According to the Department of Justice, Hassan was charged in the Southern District of Texas with voting by an alien. Prosecutors allege that he voted in the 2022 and 2024 elections despite not being a US citizen. Agah, on the other hand, was charged in the Western District of North Carolina with voting by an alien and falsely claiming US citizenship. He allegedly declared himself a US citizen on an Authorization to Vote Form before casting a ballot in the federal election on November 5, 2024.
The US Department of Justice announced the charges on Monday, November 2, 2026, alongside charges against 61 other foreign nationals for alleged illegal voting, fraudulent voter registration, and falsely claiming American citizenship in federal elections. The defendants include nationals of Mexico, Jamaica, Canada, the Philippines, India, Colombia, and the United Kingdom, among other countries.
US Attorney General Todd Blanche described the announcement as the largest surge in voter fraud arrests since President Donald Trump's administration took office. The Department said that 195 non-citizens in 25 states had been charged over illegal registration or voting in the past nine weeks, and 239 people had been charged with voting fraud offences since the administration took office.
The charges against Hassan and Agah are accusations, and both men are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. In September, the Justice Department charged three other Nigerians, Gladys Adaeze Okafor, Helen Sayen Adams, and Joshua Nmelichukwu Akpom, alongside 13 other foreign nationals, over alleged election-related offences.
The US recently concluded some midterm elections, and four Nigerian-Americans emerged as winners. The Department of Justice's announcement highlights the efforts of US authorities to prevent non-citizens from participating in federal elections. The cases against Hassan and Agah serve as examples of the department's commitment to enforcing US election laws.
The US midterm elections have significant implications for the country's governance, and the Department of Justice's efforts aim to ensure the integrity of the electoral process. The charges against Hassan and Agah demonstrate the consequences of attempting to vote or falsely claim citizenship in federal elections.
Key points
- Two Nigerian lawful permanent residents, Mohammed Omar Hassan and Michael Agah, have been charged for allegedly voting in federal elections despite not being US citizens.
- The US Department of Justice has charged 63 foreign nationals, including the two Nigerians, for alleged illegal voting and falsely claiming American citizenship in federal elections.
- The charges are accusations, and both men are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
