A federal jury convicted a noncitizen living legally in the United States of illegally registering and voting in a federal election in Tarrant County, Texas.
Indian national Khalwinder Singh Bhengura was found guilty of voting by an alien in a federal election and making a false claim of U.S. citizenship to register to vote.
He is not a U.S. citizen and has never applied for citizenship.
According to evidence presented at trial, Bhengura became a lawful permanent resident in June 2022 and applied for a driver’s license through the Texas Department of Public Safety in 2024.
The “motor voter” provision of the National Voter Registration Act requires DPS to offer driver’s license applicants an option to simultaneously register to vote.
In his application, Bhengura checked boxes stating that he was a U.S. citizen and wanted to register to vote. Based on that application, Bhengura was registered to vote in Tarrant County, Texas, although the form appears to have originally been routed to Dallas County.
On November 5, 2024, Bhengura voted in person at the East Library and Recreation Center in Arlington, Texas. The General Election ballot included both federal and state elections.
The voting record indicates Bhengura showed “acceptable photo ID,” presumably his driver’s license.
Lawful permanent residents receive Texas driver licenses that look identical to licenses issued to citizens.
“Voting in our national elections is reserved for U.S. citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould.
“Every unlawful vote undermines the voices of eligible citizens, and this office will hold accountable anyone who undermines our elections,” said Raybould. “This verdict reflects the jury’s careful consideration of the evidence and our commitment to protecting the integrity of the electoral process in North Texas.”
Bhengura faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for making false statements of citizenship and up to one year in prison and a fine of $100,000 for voting by an alien. He could also be subject to deportation after serving his term of imprisonment.
Sentencing is set for February 11, 2027.
Bhengura was among several foreign nationals recently charged with violating federal voting laws while living in Texas.
Last month, Mexican national and lawful permanent resident Imelda Magallanes was charged with illegally voting in the November 2024 federal election, using her Texas driver’s license as identification. She registered to vote in Midland County in October 2020.
Also in September, seven foreign nationals including Bhengura were arrested in North Texas on charges of unlawfully voting in federal elections and/or falsely claiming U.S. citizenship.
One was an illegal alien from Mexico who falsely claimed U.S. citizenship when applying for a Texas driver’s license in 2023 and voted in the 2024 General Election in Dallas County. The other six were lawful permanent residents. Five were charged with illegally voting in the 2024 General Election.
In May, Samuel James Hall, a citizen of the United Kingdom legally living in Houston, admitted to illegally voting in the 2024 federal election.
Another UK citizen, 63-year-old Ada Ngozi Otuka who was lawfully residing in Katy, pleaded guilty in August to illegally voting in the 2020 election and falsely claiming U.S. citizenship on state voter registration forms. She also cast ballots in 2012, 2016, 2018, and 2024.
Texas Secretary of State Robert Howden referred 117 cases of potential noncitizen voting to the Texas Attorney General’s office on September 15.
Those referrals stem from a statewide review of voters’ citizenship that began last year, when the secretary of state’s office ran more than 18 million registered voters through the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, or SAVE, database.
That initial review identified 2,724 registered voters as potential noncitizens and sent their registrations to county officials for further investigation.
Early voting is underway through October 30 in the November 3 General Election.
