Carlos Felipe Jaramillo-Grajales, a Colombian national, received a three-year federal prison sentence after being convicted of identity theft and fraudulently claiming U.S. citizenship. Authorities say he used a stolen U.S. citizen's personal information to obtain a passport in 2003, then secured a Florida driver's license and registered to vote, casting ballots as recently as 2020. Investigators say he also used the false identity to obtain benefits and to secure lawful permanent resident status for his fiancée in 2017. DHS described the conviction as part of a broader crackdown on noncitizens who exploit fabricated identities to vote or claim government benefits.
Illegal Immigrant Sentenced to 3 Years After Using Stolen U.S. Identity to Vote for Two Decades
Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin testifies at a House Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., June 25, 2026.
Carlos Felipe Jaramillo-Grajales, a Colombian national, was sentenced on Friday to three years in federal prison after being convicted of identity theft and falsely claiming U.S. citizenship — fraud that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says allowed him to vote in U.S. elections over roughly a 20-year period.
According to court records and DHS, Jaramillo-Grajales began his scheme in March 2003, when he used a U.S. citizen's name, date of birth and Social Security number to obtain a U.S. passport. With that stolen identity, investigators say he later secured a Florida driver's license and registered to vote in the state. DHS officials say he cast ballots in the 2020 election and in other contests over the years while using the false identity.
Voting booths at a polling location on, Aug. 11, 2026, left, pictured next to Carlos Felipe Jaramillo-Grajales.
“Because of his fraud, he was able to obtain a driver's license and vote in our elections,” DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said. “DHS will always fight to protect the integrity of our elections, because election security is national security. Only Americans should be electing American leaders.”
Investigators also found that Jaramillo-Grajales exploited the stolen identity for other advantages. In June 2017, prosecutors say, he used the same false identity to help secure lawful permanent resident status for his fiancée, who later became his wife. Authorities say he used the stolen identity to obtain government documents and claim benefits over several years.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), and the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. The Florida U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted the matter, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier handling the case.
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) logo appears on the screen of a smartphone, and in the background, the flag of the United States is on the computer screen on Dec. 3, 2024.
DHS framed Jaramillo-Grajales's conviction as part of a broader enforcement effort against noncitizens who fabricate information to vote or obtain U.S. benefits. The agency pointed to similar cases, including an immigrant from Slovakia who illegally voted in New Jersey in 2022 and another defendant in Kansas who pleaded guilty to falsely claiming citizenship.
Officials said the defendant will be removed from the United States at the conclusion of his sentence. The case has also renewed debate in Washington over whether federal or state laws should be tightened to strengthen voter verification and identity-document issuance procedures.
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