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By Billal Rahman
Immigration Reporter
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An undocumented Mauritanian national living in Philadelphia has been arrested on charges of illegally voting in multiple federal elections dating back to 2008, federal authorities said.
Mahady Sacko, 50, is accused of registering and casting ballots despite not being a U.S. citizen, according to a criminal affidavit. He first registered to vote in 2005, according to the documents.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Enforcement and Removal Operations arrested Sacko in an operation, with assistance from the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Homeland Security said in a news release on March 9.
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Why It Matters
Federal law prohibits noncitizens from voting in U.S. elections, with violations carrying fines and up to five years in prison. Though documented cases of illegal voting by noncitizens are rare and Sacko is presumed innocent until proven guilty, the case could fuel Republican concerns about unauthorized voting and efforts to introduce stricter voter ID requirements. President Donald Trump previously urged Republicans to "nationalize" elections and oversee voting in some states, repeating false claims of widespread voter fraud.
What To Know
Investigators obtained Sacko's voting records in May 2025 and found he allegedly voted in seven federal elections dating back to 2008, including general and primary contests in 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024. According to the affidavit, he voted in person in every election except the 2020 primary, which he cast by mail.
Images from the affidavit show what appears to be Sacko's signature on his Pennsylvania voter registrations from 2006 to 2024.
Court filings show Sacko entered the United States in March 1998 and was ordered removed in 2000. Authorities say he did not leave the country and remained under immigration supervision, regularly reporting to ICE offices.
On November 14, 2002, the Board of Immigration Appeals dismissed Sacko's appeal, upholding the decision of an immigration judge that he should be removed from the United States. According to the criminal affidavit, Sacko did not comply with the removal order and remained in the country.
Sacko was arrested in Philadelphia by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations on January 12, 2007, according to the affidavit. The filing said he did not have a current passport from Mauritania, and ICE officials were unable to obtain one on his behalf. As a result, the agency could not enforce the removal order. Sacko was instead placed under supervision, which required him to regularly report to ICE offices as an "alien under an order of deportation."
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Sacko's voting records indicated he was registered as a Democrat.
GOP legislators have proposed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which seeks to strengthen voter verification and prevent unauthorized voting. Trump has repeatedly expressed concerns about voter fraud and threatened not to sign any other bills into law until the SAVE America Act is passed.
The legislation, which would require proof of U.S. citizenship for federal voter registration and impose stricter voter ID standards, has passed the House along party lines and currently has 110 co-sponsors. While it enjoys strong support among House Republicans, the bill faces significant hurdles in the Senate, where a filibuster could block its passage.
What People Are Saying
Department of Homeland Security Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a news release: "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."
Immigration and Customs Enforcement wrote on X: "Only U.S. citizens should be voting in U.S. elections."
Republican Senator Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania wrote on X, in response to news about Mahady Sacko's arrest: "This is precisely why I support @SenMikeLee's SAVE America Act. We must secure our elections. I commend U.S. Attorney David Metcalf and his team for uncovering this case and working to hold those who undermine the integrity of our elections accountable."
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