Marva Cook, 66, of Syracuse, New York, has been charged with illegally voting in a U.S. congressional election. She says she believed for most of her life that she was an American citizen. She says she discovered she was born in Germany only while searching for her biological mother. Federal prosecutors accuse her of casting a ballot in the 2022 election without the required citizenship. If convicted, she faces up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. She could also be deported.
Cook was adopted as a young child and has spent nearly her entire life in the United States. During questioning by officers from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), she explained that she had always considered herself a U.S. citizen. She came across a German birth certificate only while looking for information about her biological family.
Prosecutors say, however, that Cook had held a green card for several years, a document that confirms only the right to permanent residence in the U.S., and that she voted in American elections anyway.
On Wednesday, Oct. 21, Cook voluntarily turned herself in to federal law enforcement and then appeared in court. In an interview with The Associated Press, she said being handcuffed was an especially difficult experience for her, even though she had given herself up to authorities.
“It was a difficult time. I care about being kind, helping others and treating people the way I would want to be treated,” she said. She declined, however, to discuss the details of the case, her voting history or her earlier efforts to obtain citizenship.
Under U.S. federal law, noncitizens cannot vote in federal elections, even if they have permanent resident status. Prosecutors maintain that Cook knew she was not a citizen when she voted in the 2022 general election.
Editor: JŁ
