ICE arrests Guatemalan woman accused of illegally voting

Source: This report is based on an official public release from U.S. Department of Homeland Security. PULSE organizes and summarizes public government communications.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Helda Araceli Mendez-Merida, a Guatemalan national, on September 3 for illegally voting in a past election in Indianapolis, according to a Department of Homeland Security statement.

Mendez-Merida entered the United States illegally through Arizona in September 2015 and was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol. She was then released into the country by the Obama Administration.

An immigration judge issued Mendez-Merida a final order of removal on September 3, 2019. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the arrest underscores the importance of protecting election integrity. 'Voting in U.S. elections is a privilege that is reserved exclusively for U.S. citizens,' said Patricia Hyde, acting assistant director of ICE's Enforcement Division.