Speaker Johnson Accuses Democrats Of Endangering Elections Over Noncitizen Voting Charges

House Speaker Mike Johnson took aim at Democrats Thursday, accusing them of endangering election security in the wake of noncitizen voting charges in Michigan. He argued that these incidents signal a broader risk to American democracy nationwide. "From New Jersey to Michigan, the evidence continues to mount: Illegal aliens are registering and VOTING in American elections," Johnson wrote on X. He asserted that Democrats recognize this reality yet push for open borders while opposing voter ID laws. For him, it is a clear and present danger to both our elections and our Republic. "All Americans DESERVE secure elections, and Republicans are the ones fighting to make it happen."

This rhetoric arrived as Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced charges against five non-U.S. citizens who allegedly voted in the 2024 presidential election. One defendant was a U.S. citizen accused of registering her noncitizen husband to vote. The crackdown followed a state review spanning from 2009 through 2025 that examined 38 suspected cases involving noncitizens or related conduct. Out of those, six led to criminal charges, ten were closed with no action, and twenty-two remain under active investigation. "In my office, we've always taken election crimes seriously and prosecute attacks on our voting systems to the fullest extent of the law," Nessel stated in a statement. She insisted that investigating rare claims upholds integrity and holds bad actors accountable for breaking laws meant to keep elections safe.

The scale of the 2024 Michigan general election involved more than 5.7 million ballots cast, yet officials maintain that illegal voting by noncitizens remains an anomaly. However, the Trump administration has made curbing such activity a top priority. President Donald Trump signed executive orders in March 2025 and again in March 2026 to tighten citizenship verification for federal elections. These directives also ordered agencies to grant states better access to immigration data. His team has further supported bills demanding proof of U.S. citizenship before anyone can register for a federal ballot.

Among those charged was Robert Piva, 67, of Roseville, a permanent resident facing election law perjury, attempts to vote without qualification, and fraudulent registration. Prosecutors say he allegedly cast an early ballot in October 2024. Piva told authorities his action was merely an "experiment" into voter fraud. Michael Akioya, 39, of Oak Park, another permanent resident, was charged with lying on an absentee application and envelope during the same election cycle. Alondra Harker, 26, of Three Rivers, is a limited-term alien resident who faces misdemeanor charges for allegedly registering and voting in person in 2024. A conviction could send her to jail for up to 90 days.

Harumi Michael, 60, of Wolverine Lake, confronts three felonies including two counts of election forgery and one count of attempting to vote unqualified, alongside a misdemeanor for registering and voting in Commerce Township. Basanth Sadasivian, 29, lives in the United Kingdom yet was charged with felony fraud for allegedly using the Federal Post Card Application system to register and vote in 2024 via a Bloomfield Hills address. The charges against him carry a potential prison sentence of up to four years. Kimberley DiDonato, 60, of Rose Township, is also listed among the accused as a U.S. citizen involved in the matter.

A Michigan woman faces felony charges for election forgery and computer crimes after allegedly pretending to be her noncitizen husband to get him registered to vote online. Authorities say DiDonato admitted she wanted to test system flaws before requesting that the registration be cancelled.

In New Jersey, a federal judge has blocked the Department of Justice from accessing voter rolls as a statewide controversy rages on. Meanwhile, Attorney General Dana Nessel's office decided not to charge four individuals who were referred for investigation. Two turned out to be U.S. citizens. One was an American citizen through international adoption. Another was a federally recognized American Indian born in Canada.

Six other cases ended without charges due to missing evidence of criminal intent or suspected registration errors. Nessel noted that delays in federal cooperation slowed the state's investigations down significantly. "While the question of whether any given resident is a citizen may feel simple, some cases are nuanced in unexpected ways," she said.

"The federal government has not always provided easy or open access to certain necessary citizenship records, and so our investigators had to spend considerable time and effort coaxing cooperation from the federal agencies." The lack of transparency creates real risks for communities trying to protect their elections.