Filipino green card holder accused of illegal voting in US election

HONOLULU – Federal prosecutors have charged a 19-year-old Filipino green card holder in Hawaii with illegally voting in the 2024 US general election.

According to US Attorney Ken Sorenson, Bernadette Acaso allegedly cast a mail-in ballot in the November 2024 general election despite not being a US citizen, leading to a charge of unlawful voting by a non-citizen.

According to the US Attorney’s Office, Acaso was born in the Philippines and came to the United States in 2018 on an immigrant visa. She later became a lawful permanent resident but was not a US citizen at the time of the election.

READ: 64-year-old Filipino green card holder detained by ICE

Federal authorities said Acaso admitted during an interview with law enforcement that she knew she was not a US citizen when she voted.

If convicted, Acaso faces a maximum penalty of one year in federal prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $100,000.

The actual sentence, if any, would be determined by a federal judge after considering the US Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Heidi Turner is prosecuting the case filed on July 22.

A criminal complaint is an allegation, and Acaso is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

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