A Peruvian woman living in the United States was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after officials said she falsely represented herself as an American citizen and cast an illegal ballot in Kansas during the 2024 general election, the Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday.
Mariana Alexandra Dewey, a citizen of Peru and lawful permanent resident, was arrested by special agents with Homeland Security Investigations after authorities concluded she unlawfully voted in Sedgwick County in the Nov. 5, 2024, election, according to DHS.
The case comes amid the Trump administration’s broader push to pursue noncitizens accused of voting illegally in U.S. elections.
“This alien violated the sacred right of every American citizen,” DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement released by the department.
Mariana Alexandra Dewey is shown in an image released by the Department of Homeland Security. DHS said Dewey pleaded guilty to disorderly election conduct after officials accused her of illegally voting in the 2024 general election. (Department of Homeland Security)
“If even one noncitizen votes, that steals the voice of a U.S. citizen,” Mullin continued. “Only American citizens have the right to participate in our political and election processes, and DHS will continue to investigate, seek criminal prosecution and ultimately remove aliens who vote to ensure free, fair and honest elections.”
According to DHS, election records showed Dewey submitted a Kansas voter registration application and cast a provisional ballot after certifying, under penalty of perjury, that she was a U.S. citizen.
ALSO READ: Family of 9/11 Hero to Retrace His Final Steps at Tunnel to Towers Finale
Homeland Security Investigations agents approach a Wichita, Kan., residence while arresting Mariana Alexandra Dewey on Sept. 1, 2026. DHS said Dewey, a Peruvian national and lawful permanent resident, was taken into custody after authorities accused her of illegally voting in the 2024 general election. (Department of Homeland Security)
During a subsequent interview with investigators, authorities said Dewey acknowledged she was a lawful permanent resident, not a U.S. citizen, and admitted voting in the 2024 general election. DHS said she later pleaded guilty to disorderly election conduct under Kansas law.
The department said Dewey was taken into ICE custody Sept. 1 after HSI agents located her at a residence in Wichita.
DHS described the arrest as the latest in the administration’s effort to crack down on noncitizens accused of illegally voting in American elections.
The Department of Homeland Security has directed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to deport undocumented immigrants who vote in American elections. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)
The department pointed to several recent cases, including enforcement actions involving noncitizens from Colombia, Slovakia, Australia, Mexico and Mauritania, as well as charges against four noncitizens in New Jersey accused of illegally voting in federal elections or falsely claiming U.S. citizenship.