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ICE Arrests Philippine Citizen in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Federal Election Fraud Charges

Tuesday, November 3, 2026 · Federal · GSM News

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced on November 3 that it arrested Maria Elenor Lopez Rios, a citizen of the Philippines, on October 28. Rios, who is also a U.S. lawful permanent resident, is accused in an investigation of committing federal election fraud, making false citizenship claims and making a false statement in voter registration. The case was investigated by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

According to ICE, Rios registered to vote in 2022 by falsely claiming U.S. citizenship under oath and voted in the November 2022 federal election. She was arrested while returning home from work while her naturalization application was pending.

"Every illegal vote undermines the integrity of our elections and the rights of Americans who are legally entitled to cast a ballot," said ICE Assistant Director for Public Affairs Micah Bock. "American citizens have the exclusive right to choose their leaders, and we are here to help protect that right. Anyone who illegally casts a ballot or lies about their citizenship to influence an election must be held accountable."

ICE said HSI Tulsa will continue coordinating with federal, state and local law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of the nation's electoral process. Crimes, including voter fraud, can be reported by calling 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) or through ICE's online tip form.

Related: Two Foreign Nationals Arrested in Tennessee, Charged With Illegally Voting in the 2024 Election

Source: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)

Photo: 图:美国移民与海关执法局(ICE)总部大楼(华盛顿,GSM 四级固定图库;摄影 G. Edward Johnson,CC BY 4.0,经 Wikimedia Commons)。 / Photo: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement headquarters building in Washington (GSM fixed asset library; photo by G. Edward Johnson, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons).

Story Timeline
  1. 2026-10-28DHS: ICE Arrests Dozens of Noncitizens in Nationwide Voter Fraud Crackdown, Releases 13 Case Examples
  2. 2026-10-30Follow-Up: ICE Releases New Round of Voter Fraud Crackdown Cases: 17 Cases Involving Illegal Registration and Voting, Dating Back to 2004
  3. 2026-11-02Follow-Up: ICE Releases Another Round of Voter Fraud Cases: 19 Cases Involving Alleged Illegal Voting
  4. 2026-11-03Two Foreign Nationals Arrested in Tennessee, Charged With Illegally Voting in the 2024 Election
  5. 2026-11-03ICE Arrests Philippine Citizen in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Federal Election Fraud ChargesThis story
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