An upstate New York woman has been charged with voting illegally. She says she only recently learned she was not born in the United States. The Trump administration is touting her case as one of its latest arrests in a hunt for noncitizen voters before the midterm elections 1.
Marva Cook, 66, of Syracuse was adopted as a toddler and had always assumed she was a U.S. citizen. She told Homeland Security investigators this month that she found a German birth certificate while searching for her biological mother, according to the criminal complaint 1. A local outlet, Central Current, reported that agents interviewed her on Oct. 5 2.
What she is charged with
Federal prosecutors say Cook has had a green card for several years but still cast ballots in recent elections 1. She faces one federal charge of voting by an alien, tied to her vote in the 2022 midterms 1.
The charge is a misdemeanor. It carries up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 if she is convicted. She could also face deportation under federal law 1. A charge is an allegation, not a finding of guilt.
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Cook turned herself in on Wednesday. Her court hearing lasted about 14 minutes, and a federal prosecutor agreed to recommend that she be released while the case goes on 2. Cook told the Associated Press (AP) she was "not thrilled" to be placed in shackles even though she had come in voluntarily 1. Her lawyer, Paul Tuck, said there are no pending immigration proceedings 1.
What officials and neighbors say
First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III, whose office is prosecuting the case, said her arrest showed "voter fraud is rampant" in New York. The Department of Homeland Security repeated his statement on X 1.
The AP noted that the administration's own investigations have shown such cases are incredibly rare and have not changed election outcomes 1. Cook's supporters see the case differently. Fred Daley, pastor of her church, said the government picked the wrong person to make an example of 1.
If the government wanted to make a case, they chose the wrong person
Cook is a former Syracuse University women's basketball star. She now directs the YMCA's community school program, according to a parishioner who has known her for years 1.
A wider push before Nov. 3
Cook's case follows others. On Monday, federal authorities in California charged more than two dozen legal permanent residents with illegally casting ballots or registering to vote. Weeks earlier, 10 people were charged in Minnesota with illegally voting in the last three elections 1.
That matters because cases like Cook's turn on what a person knew. Her lawyer has not discussed the details of the case, and the court will decide whether the evidence supports the charge. Whether she believed she was a citizen is part of what a court would weigh. The complaint itself records her account that she thought she was one 1.
The Record
- Prosecutors say Cook voted in the 2022 midterm election, the basis of the single charge against her 1.
- Federal agents interviewed Cook, who said she had recently found a German birth certificate 2.
- Cook surrendered and appeared in federal court in Syracuse. A prosecutor agreed to recommend her release during the case 2.
Sources
- ABC News (AP), “New York state woman charged with voting illegally says she recently learned she wasn't a citizen” (2026-10-24). abcnews.com/Politics/wireStory/new-york-state-woman-charged-
- Central Current, “She's lived her life as an American. ICE considers her an 'alien'” (2026-10-21). centralcurrent.org/shes-lived-her-life-as-an-american-ice-co
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