--- title: "DOJ charges 16 people in seven states for election crimes" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/doj-charges-16-people-in-seven-states-for-election-crimes" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/doj-charges-16-people-in-seven-states-for-election-crimes" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/doj-charges-16-people-in-seven-states-for-election-crimes.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/doj-charges-16-people-in-seven-states-for-election-crimes" category: "Politics" area: "United States" published: "2026-09-20T19:45:45.233Z" source_reported: "2026-09-20T19:00:56.000Z" updated: "2026-09-20T19:45:45.233Z" trust_score: 60 critic_score: 60 hype_score: 45 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-09-20T19:25:17.301Z" --- # DOJ charges 16 people in seven states for election crimes *Charges include illegal voting, fraud, and firearm offenses, with noncitizens among those indicted.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 60 of 100, higher is better. Central claims attributed to DOJ release and named officials; one full report and six digests. - Craft 60 of 100, higher is better. Reporting includes specific charges, names, and states, but lacks comment from affected parties. - Hype 45 of 100, lower is better. Headline promises charges and warnings, which the body delivers, but uses mild sensationalism. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - The Department of Justice announced charges against 16 people in seven states for election crimes. - The charges include illegal voting, illegal voter registration, wire fraud, passport and identity fraud, and firearm offenses. - Eight noncitizens residing in Texas were among those charged, with other cases in Idaho, Georgia, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, and Michigan. - The cases are presented as part of an effort to ensure election integrity. The Department of Justice announced charges against 16 individuals in seven states for election crimes, including allegations of noncitizens casting ballots. The charges encompass illegal voting, illegal voter registration, wire fraud, passport and identity fraud, and firearm offenses. Eight noncitizens residing in Texas were among those charged. Additional cases were filed in Idaho, Georgia, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, and Michigan. ## Disagreement on the number of noncitizens charged Breitbart reported that U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche announced charges against 11 individuals for illegally voting or fraudulently registering in the 2022 and 2024 elections, and that the DOJ release detailed charges against 16 people. The Dallas Express News stated that one illegal alien and seven lawful permanent residents in Texas account for half of the 16 people charged nationwide. The Western Journal reported that the Department of Justice unveiled charges against 16 individuals, including several illegal aliens. ## What the coverage left out None of the right-rated reports mention the specific number of noncitizens charged nationwide, only that they were involved. The reports also do not detail the total number of cases or arrests made by the Department of Homeland Security beyond the 16 individuals indicted, as mentioned in Breitbart's report. ## Who covered it Shares of the 6 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 0% (0) - Centre: 0% (0) - Right: 100% (6) 1 of 7 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-20T19:25:17.301Z. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 3 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-20T20:30:19.811Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left No separate framing summary. ### Centre No separate framing summary. ### Right - Right-rated reports focused on the Department of Justice's announcement of charges against individuals for election crimes, particularly highlighting the involvement of noncitizens. Breitbart's full report stated that the charges were part of a "Trump administration crackdown on threats to the integrity of the U.S. election system" and quoted a DOJ official saying, "American elections are for Americans." The Dallas Express News reported that half of the 16 people charged were in Texas, specifying one illegal alien and seven lawful permanent residents. TrendingPolitics noted arrests and charges in Texas and other states involving noncitizens or false citizenship statements. News Addicts highlighted federal authorities charging noncitizens for voting violations, with a particular focus on Texas. The Daily Caller framed the charges as a warning, quoting "Let This Be A Warning" and stating the DOJ warned noncitizens who cast ballots that prosecutors are coming. The Western Journal reported that "Several Were Illegal Aliens" and that the DOJ announced 16 culprits caught illegally voting in federal elections. **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - low: 2 - mixed: 4 - unknown: 1 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [The Dallas Express News](https://dallasexpress.com/crime/feds-charge-16-in-illegal-voting-crackdown-half-in-texas) — Feds Charge 16 In Illegal-Voting Crackdown, Half In Texas - [TrendingPolitics](https://trendingpoliticsnews.com/dhs-announces-several-arrests-in-noncitizen-voting-cases-cmc) — NEW: DOJ Announces Several Arrests In Noncitizen Voting Cases - [News Addicts](https://newsaddicts.com/federal-authorities-charge-noncitizens-for-voting-violations) — Federal Authorities Charge Noncitizens for Voting Violations - [Breitbart](https://breitbart.com/immigration/2026/09/20/video-doj-crackdown-on-illegal-alien-voting-picks-up-steam-with-charges-announced-in-seven-states) — DOJ Announces Charges in 7 States for Illegal Alien Voting - [The Daily Caller](https://dailycaller.com/2026/09/20/doj-charges-16-illegal-voting-election-crimes) — ‘Let This Be A Warning’: DOJ Announces Charges For Election-Related Crimes Across Several States - [The Western Journal](https://westernjournal.com/several-illegal-aliens-doj-announces-16-culprits-caught-illegally-voting-federal-elections) — Several Were Illegal Aliens: DOJ Announces 16 Culprits Caught Illegally Voting in Federal Elections - [Unknown](https://aboluowang.com/2026/0920/2435919.html) — The US Department of Justice Has Indicted 16 People for Election-Related Crimes, Including One Undocumented Immigrant Who Voted Nine Times. ## Questions **How many people were charged by the Department of Justice?** The Department of Justice announced charges against 16 individuals across seven states. These charges are related to election crimes, including allegations of noncitizens casting ballots. **What types of election crimes are alleged?** The alleged crimes include illegal voting, illegal voter registration, wire fraud, passport and identity fraud, and firearm offenses. Some individuals are accused of falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to register or vote. **Which states are involved in the charges?** The charges were announced in seven states: Texas, Idaho, Georgia, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, and Michigan. Eight noncitizens residing in Texas were among those charged. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/doj-charges-16-people-in-seven-states-for-election-crimes. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "DOJ charges 16 people in seven states for election crimes", https://mediabias.news/politics/doj-charges-16-people-in-seven-states-for-election-crimes