Undocumented Immigrant Faces Charges for Allegedly Voting in Every Presidential Election Since 2008

EXCLUSIVE ON FOX: An undocumented immigrant from Africa, accused of casting votes in every federal election since 2008, has been apprehended, as reported by Fox News Digital. This development comes amidst heated discussions among lawmakers about enhancing election integrity.

Mahady Sacko, a national of Mauritania, faces voter fraud charges in Philadelphia, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announcement on Monday.

“This illegal immigrant has committed a felony by participating in federal elections since 2008. Non-citizens should not be influencing the election of American leaders,” stated DHS Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “Our elections are a right of American citizens alone. It’s imperative that Congress passes the SAVE America Act promptly to ensure the security of our elections. The Senate needs to act on the SAVE America Act immediately.”

Federal prosecutors allege that Mahady Sacko, a Mauritanian national unlawfully residing in the U.S., has been fraudulently voting in federal elections since 2008, as reported by the Department of Homeland Security and evidenced by Getty Images.

Sacko, now 50, initially entered the United States via Miami in March 1998. In 2000, an immigration judge ordered his removal from the country, according to a federal criminal complaint accessed by Fox News Digital.

He appealed this decision, but the Board of Immigration Appeals dismissed his appeal and affirmed the removal order on Nov. 14, 2002. Despite this order, Sacko did not depart the U.S., authorities said. 

He was arrested by ICE in 2007, but was not deported because he didn’t have a passport from Mauritania and the agency was unable to obtain one for him, federal prosecutors said. As a result, he was placed on supervision and required to regularly report to ICE offices, which he complied with. 

Voters cast ballots inside a polling place. (Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)

In May 2025, investigators obtained voting records for Philadelphia County from the Philadelphia City Commissioners (PCCO) and the Pennsylvania Department of State (DOS) via a subpoena.

Sacko registered to vote in 2005, and falsely stated on several occasions that he was a U.S. citizen, authorities allege. 

The voting records showed that he cast ballots in several federal elections, including during the general elections in 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024. In addition, he voted in the 2016 and 2020 primary elections, prosecutors said. 

He voted in person for every election, except for the 2020 primary, in which he voted by mail, the complaint states. 

The court documents feature several paper voter registration documents that Sacko allegedly filled out in which he provided his name, address, social security number, address, date of birth and affirmed that he was a U.S. citizen, prosecutors said. 

The Trump administration and Republicans have pushed for lawmakers to pass the SAVE America Act, which would tighten voter registration and identification requirements to cast ballots in elections, namely proof of American citizenship to vote. 

Many Democrats contend the law would disenfranchise vulnerable populations from voting, citing the burden of getting documents needed for an ID, while supporters of the bill note that the vast majority of people use photo ID for everyday tasks. 

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