At Campos Law Firm, we closely monitor developments in U.S. immigration policy to protect our clients’ rights and future. On September 24, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey separately charged two state residents with voting in federal elections as noncitizens and later lying on their naturalization applications, Form N-400.
The charges are allegations, and both are presumed innocent. But the case carries a practical lesson for anyone planning to apply for citizenship. Here is what is alleged and what you should check before you file.
What is alleged in New Jersey?
According to the Justice Department, Patrick Terrance Reid, 61, a Jamaican national living in Orange, allegedly voted in person in the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections and by mail in 2020 and 2024. Danubis Bernat, 49, a Venezuelan national living in South Amboy, allegedly voted in person in the 2024 general election.
Both later applied for citizenship and, according to prosecutors, stated on their N-400 that they had never registered to vote or voted. Each faces two charges: voting by a noncitizen in a federal election, punishable by up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine, and making false statements while applying for citizenship, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The cases were investigated by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), under the office’s Election Integrity Task Force. According to the New Jersey Globe, 12 noncitizens have now been federally charged in New Jersey in 2026 in voting-related cases.
Why is voting as a noncitizen so serious for your status?
Beyond the criminal case, the immigration consequences can be permanent. Under immigration law, unlawful voting can make a person deportable and inadmissible, even if they are a permanent resident.
If you claimed to be a citizen when you registered, that can also be treated as a false claim to citizenship, which carries immigration consequences that are very hard to overcome. The law has a narrow exception for people whose parents were citizens, who lived in the U.S. from childhood, and who reasonably believed they were citizens, but it applies in few cases.
Then there is the N-400 itself: lying on the application can prevent you from showing the “good moral character” naturalization requires, and it can lead to a criminal prosecution like these.
How can this happen without you realizing it?
Many people end up registered to vote without ever meaning to. In some states, a visit to the driver’s license office can trigger a voter registration if the citizenship question is not answered carefully. It also happens with forms filled out by others or at registration drives on the street.
Being registered by mistake is not the same as voting, and each situation is evaluated differently. What is the same in every case: your answers on the N-400 must be true.
What should you review before filing your N-400?
- Your voter registration history: check whether you appear on the rolls in your state or in states where you lived before.
- Driver’s license paperwork: review what you marked on license or ID applications.
- Any vote, in any election: the N-400 asks about federal, state, and local elections.
- Do not try to fix it on your own: canceling a registration or changing an answer without advice can make things worse. Talk to an attorney before filing or correcting an answer.
- Never lie on the N-400: a past problem can be evaluated; a new lie creates another one.
Protect Your Path to Citizenship with Campos Law Firm
Applying for citizenship is one of the most important steps of your life in the United States, and a single answer can change the outcome. Our team reviews your full history before you file the N-400 to catch risks in time, including voter registrations and past paperwork. We do not make unrealistic promises. We provide serious legal representation backed by preparation and integrity.
Do not leave your immigration status to chance. Call us today at +1 (844) 922-6767 to schedule a free, confidential consultation in English or Spanish. Campos Law Firm: Legal Solutions in All Areas of Law.
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