Holden Criticizes NBC’s Coverage of Noncitizen Voting Cases
Drew Holden argued on November 2 that NBC News had shifted its framing of voter fraud. He contrasted a 2020 NBC fact check titled “Debunking baseless claims of voter fraud,” a June 2026 story about the Justice Department’s evidence of widespread fraud, and a recent report on noncitizens charged with voting who were legally in the United States.
The report’s review found that more than 75% of the cases it examined involved lawful permanent residents, based on Justice Department releases and court documents. It said confusion contributed to many cases, with some permanent residents mistakenly believing they could vote. Among the remaining cases where status could be determined, about 30 involved people without legal status in the country.
One case involved Khalwinder Singh Bhengura, a Texas resident aged 70 who holds a permanent resident card. He was found guilty on November 2, 2026, of casting an unlawful ballot in a federal contest and falsely asserting U.S. citizenship to register. His attorney said he mistakenly marked a citizenship box while applying for a driver’s license and did not realize he had registered to vote.
The report said illegal voting can carry up to a year in prison, while making a false citizenship claim to register can carry up to five years. Holden and other critics argued that lawful presence in the country does not make a noncitizen eligible to vote. The coverage did not establish how many cases involved intentional voting by noncitizens.
NBC’s Case Review Shows Noncitizen Voting Charges Often Involve Confusion
The central finding in NBC News’ coverage is that most examined noncitizen voting cases involved lawful permanent residents, not people without legal status. A review of Justice Department releases and court documents found more than 75% of cases with known immigration status involved permanent residents, and said confusion played a role in many.
Among the remaining cases where status could be determined, about 30 involved people without legal status in the country. One permanent resident, 70-year-old Khalwinder Singh Bhengura of Texas, was found guilty on November 2, 2026, of casting an unlawful ballot in a federal contest and falsely asserting U.S. citizenship to register.
Bhengura’s attorney said he mistakenly marked a citizenship box while seeking a driver’s license and did not realize he had registered to vote. The case illustrates why individual prosecutions should not be treated as proof of widespread, deliberate fraud. Holden instead portrayed NBC’s reporting as a retreat from earlier coverage, citing a 2020 fact check and a June 2026 story focused on whether fraud was widespread.
Noncitizens are not eligible to vote in federal elections, and the report described potential prison penalties for illegal voting and false citizenship claims. But the case figures and account of confusion matter: coverage should distinguish unlawful voting from claims that do not demonstrate broad organized fraud.
Lawful U.S. Residents Still Cannot Legally Vote in Federal Elections
Being legally present in the United States does not make a noncitizen eligible to vote in a federal election. Drew Holden’s criticism of NBC News focused on what he saw as a shifting emphasis: from a 2020 fact check dismissing voter-fraud claims, to a June 2026 report on whether fraud was widespread, to coverage highlighting that many accused noncitizens were lawful permanent residents.
The review found that more than 75% of examined cases with known immigration status involved lawful permanent residents. It also said confusion contributed to many cases, and that about 30 people among the remaining cases with determinable status lacked legal status in the country. Those figures do not change the eligibility rules or erase the cases themselves.
Khalwinder Singh Bhengura, a 70-year-old Texas resident with a permanent resident card, was found guilty on November 2, 2026, of casting an unlawful ballot in a federal contest and falsely asserting citizenship to register. His attorney said he mistakenly marked a box while applying for a driver’s license and did not understand that he had registered.
The stated penalties reach up to one year in prison for illegal voting and up to five years for falsely claiming citizenship to register. Holden and other critics argued that presenting lawful residence as central risks obscuring the basic distinction between permission to live in the country and eligibility to vote.
Reported by Twitchy, Townhall.
