Two Non-Citizens Charged With Illegal Federal Voting
Federal prosecutors charged Patrick Terrance Reid and Danubis Bernat with illegal voting and false statements.
Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Immigration
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Federal prosecutors have charged two New Jersey residents, Jamaican national Patrick Terrance Reid and Venezuelan national Danubis Bernat, with illegal voting and making false statements. The defendants allegedly registered to vote as citizens and later lied on their naturalization applications regarding their voting history.
Why it matters
The case highlights federal enforcement efforts against non-citizens who register to vote and subsequently falsify documents during the naturalization process. This legal action underscores the potential criminal consequences for violating federal election laws and immigration procedures.
Voting by an alien carries a maximum fine of $100,000, while the false statement charge on a naturalization application carries a potential 10-year prison sentence and a $250,000 fine.
The players
Patrick Terrance Reid
He is a 61-year-old Jamaican national residing in Orange, New Jersey, who is accused of voting in four separate federal election cycles.
Danubis Bernat
He is a 49-year-old Venezuelan national living in South Amboy, New Jersey, who is charged with casting a ballot in the 2024 general election.
The details
Reid, 61, of Orange, and Bernat, 49, of South Amboy, purportedly cast ballots in federal elections after falsely certifying their citizenship status during voter registration. Both men subsequently filed Form N-400 naturalization applications where they allegedly claimed they had never voted in federal elections, despite prior activity.
Timeline
Reid voted in presidential elections in November 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024.
Bernat cast a ballot in the November 2024 general election.
The defendants appeared in federal court on September 24, 2026.
Political Context
Opponents of current election security protocols often cite such cases as evidence of the need for stricter voter ID verification at the time of registration. Conversely, civil rights advocates frequently emphasize that documented cases of non-citizen voting are statistically rare and argue that existing verification methods are sufficient.
This case highlights the strict legal obligations for non-citizens when interacting with federal election and immigration systems. Any false information provided on naturalization forms carries severe penalties including lengthy prison terms and substantial fines.
The takeaway
The federal charges against Reid and Bernat serve as a reminder that misrepresenting one's status or voting record during the naturalization process is a serious federal offense. Individuals navigating the citizenship path are expected to maintain complete transparency regarding their past voting history.
Further reading
For more on the regulatory framework governing the naturalization process, visit the Immigration section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The United States Department of Justice.
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