Australian woman charged with illegal voting in US after ICE probe
Updated . First published at
An Australian woman is facing up to five years in jail if found guilty of accusations she illegally voted in two US elections.
Denise Nataly Migliore, 51, was arrested on July 1 but her case didn’t hit the headlines until this week when the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) put out a press release claiming credit for the investigation.
Denise Nataly Migliore, 51, was arrested on July 1. US Homeland Security
US President Donald Trump even shared the news on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday.
“Australian alien arrested after investigation finds she illegally voted in two federal elections,” he said, sharing an article with the same title.
Originally from Sydney, Migliore had apparently been living in Franklinton, Louisiana, for decades and was a permanent US resident when she allegedly cast ballots in the 2024 US federal elections and 2022 midterms.
Migliore was indicted on June 11 in the Eastern District of Louisiana on the charges of illegal voting in an election and making false statements in order to register to vote and arrested on July 1 at the federal courthouse in New Orleans, ICE said.
US Homeland Affairs acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis alleged Migliore falsely claimed to be a US citizen and illegally cast ballots in two elections.
“Her arrest and charges are the result of the hard work of the men and women of ICE law enforcement and our federal partners,” she said, in a statement on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST).
ICE said it launched the investigation that resulted in the charges. AP
“Our message to aliens who vote in American elections is clear: we will find you, arrest you, and you will face the consequences, including criminal charges and deportation.”
The US Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Louisiana, which is handling the case, alleges Migliore “made false claims to US citizenship in order to register to vote”.
In a statement issued on June 15, it alleged the registrations took place on October 6, 2022, and October 22, 2024, followed by voting on November 8, 2022, and November 5, 2024.
Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry also claimed credit for the charges, saying the investigation was sparked by Louisiana’s use of the federal SAVE database to verify immigration and citizenship status.
“Every illegal vote cast diminishes the value of the vote of a lawful citizen and erodes public trust in our elections,” she said, in a statement on June 17.
“Cases like this send a clear message that Louisiana takes election integrity seriously, and we will continue using every available tool to ensure that only eligible citizens participate in our elections.”
Migliore told local publication NOLA that she thought legal permanent residents could vote and clicked “yes” when she was asked whether she was a US citizen when she signed up online to vote.
“I have been here almost three decades, I had a pending application for citizenship, and I just considered myself a citizen,” she said.
“I just didn’t realize that it was such a big deal.”
The 51-year-old claimed she was being “unfairly targeted” and “used as a guinea pig to show how flawed the electoral system is”.
Republicans, particularly US President Donald Trump, have long claimed fraudulent voting is a major issue that could threaten the integrity of elections.
President Donald Trump has long claimed without evidence that widespread voter fraud in Georgia’s most populous county, a Democratic stronghold, cost him victory in the state in 2020.
No widespread corruption was found and no election was stolen from Trump.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed it was providing consular assistance to an Australian facing legal action in the US.
Consular assistance can include welfare checks, liaising with local authorities, helping to get in touch with family members or providing a list of local lawyers.
But Sydney lawyer Tony Taouk, who has worked with many clients facing legal issues overseas, warned consulates had strong limits on what they could do for Australian citizens.
“What they can’t do is stop investigations, lean on judges, withdraw charges, obtain bail, direct prosecutors,” he said.
“Once an Australian comes under another country’s jurisdiction, the legal process belongs to that country.
“So the embassy supports Australians, but it doesn’t replace another country’s justice system.”
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