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from https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/aug/29/noncitizen-who-disrupted-ice-charged-illegally-registering-vote/?cx_testId=17&cx_testVariant=cx_undefined&cx_artPos=4&cx_experienceId=EX8EVP8I1R8R&cx_experienceActionId=showRecommendations4UGD3YXZRLQI15&utm_source=piano&utm_medium=right-rail-recommended-desktop&utm_campaign=5_item_Pos_4#cxrecs_s

Noncitizen who disrupted ICE charged with illegally registering to vote
An ICE Special Response Team member stands guard outside the
Metropolitan Detention Center, while protesters gather outside to
denounce the ICE, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, operations, Tuesday, June 10, 2025, in downtown Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) **FILE**

Saturday, August 29, 2026
A Honduran immigrant who earlier this year was convicted of blocking ICE operations now stands accused of illegally registering to vote in
California.

Darwin Jonathan Rivera-Flores filed his registration last year, despite
not being a U.S. citizen, authorities said.

rCLTodayrCOs arrest is the first of many to come,rCY said Bill Essayli, who is acting as U.S. attorney in Los Angeles. rCLUnfortunately, because states
like California allow non-citizens to easily register to vote and
receive a ballot by mail, thererCOs no telling how many non-citizens are currently registered to vote.rCY

Mr. Rivera was cited earlier this year with obstructing access to a
government building where U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
operated. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge in May and was
sentenced to probation and told to stay away from the building.

Even as he was awaiting the outcome of that case, authorities said Mr.
Rivera confronted an ICE employee near the building and threatened to rCLfindrCY the person.

When an ICE agent tried to follow up with a phone call to investigate,
he said he started getting abusive messages from unknown numbers.

rCLWhorCOs [sic] human rights have you violated today?rCY read one, while another said rCLYour not the good guyrCY and rCLI canrCOt wait until the mid terms you donrCOt have qualified immunity then we can start and indict all
you guys one bye [sic] one.rCY

The agent said he went looking to see if Rivera was registered and
discovered he was.

The registration form shows Mr. Rivera asserting that he is a citizen.

There is no mention in the court documents that Mr. Rivera cast a ballot.

His application was dated Nov. 4, 2025, which was the same day that the
state voted on Gov. Gavin NewsomrCOs new Democrat-friendly congressional district map.

The last federal election was 2024, well before the registration was submitted.

The ICE agent, whose name is blacked out in the publicly released
criminal complaint, said Mr. Rivera came to the U.S. as a child in 2002
but has never sought nor attained citizenship.


The prosecution comes as President Trump pushes states to scour their
voting lists for noncitizens.

In a primetime speech last month, he said Homeland Security identified
more than 190,000 potential noncitizens on CaliforniarCOs rolls.

State officials have long downplayed any issue with noncitizen voting.

When The Washington Times in 2024 sought records of noncitizen voters
booted from the rolls, the California secretary of staterCOs office
reported that it didnrCOt rCLhave any data to report on instances of noncitizens voting or being incorrectly registered and removed from the
voting rolls.rCY


Local jurisdictions, though, have acknowledged the issue.

Orange County last year notified the federal government it removed 17
people from its voter rolls after realizing they werenrCOt citizens. The county said it investigated after receiving complaints from noncitizens
that they received ballots in the mail under CaliforniarCOs all-mail
election system.

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