Syracuse Woman Charged with Illegal Voting Claims Recent Discovery of Non-Citizenship

A 66-year-old woman from Syracuse, New York, named Marva Cook has been charged with illegal voting after discovering she was not born in the United States. Cook, who had always believed she was a U.S. citizen due to her adoption as a toddler, recently learned of her non-citizen status while searching for her biological mother. According to the criminal complaint, she found a German birth certificate during her search.

Federal authorities indicate that Cook has held a green card for several years and has still participated in recent elections, voting in the 2022 midterms. She now faces a federal charge for voting by an alien, which carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine if convicted, in addition to potential deportation. Although Cook declined to speak about her case, she expressed her faith in God and gratitude for community support during this challenging time.