A Finnish citizen has been arrested in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, over allegations of illegally registering to vote and casting a ballot in the 2024 US presidential election, according to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
ICE announced the arrest in a post on its official X account on Tuesday, 3 November 2026. The agency said the individual was suspected of registering to vote and participating in the 2024 election despite being a Finnish national.
An image shared by ICE alongside the announcement appears to show an elderly woman, although her face has been blurred. The agency did not provide further identifying details about the suspect in its social media post.
The arrest comes as US authorities have reported several cases involving foreign nationals suspected of electoral offences. ICE has also announced the detention of individuals from Italy and Canada over alleged voter fraud, according to information shared by the agency.
The arrests appear to have taken place ahead of the 2026 US midterm elections, which were held on Tuesday, 3 November. The Australian public broadcaster ABC reported on the cases as part of its coverage of the US elections.
ICE’s announcements have drawn attention to the agency’s role in enforcing immigration laws in connection with allegations of illegal voting. Before the midterm elections, there had been concerns that immigration officers could maintain a visible presence at polling stations, potentially making some voters feel intimidated. However, those concerns do not appear to have materialised in the way some had feared.
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Before the election, ICE officials had stated that the agency intended to pursue individuals suspected of voting illegally. The arrest of the Finnish citizen is among the cases the agency has publicised as part of that approach.
However, an arrest based on suspicion does not establish that a person has committed an offence. The allegations against the Finnish national have not, in the information released by ICE, been accompanied by details of a formal charge, court proceedings or a conviction.
VOTER FRAUD ARREST!
@HSIPhiladelphia arrested a Finnish foreign national for alleged voting by alien. They allegedly registered to vote and subsequently, voted in the 2024 general election.
American elections are for American citizens. Anyone who unlawfully votes will be found and brought to justice.
— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) November 3, 2026
The case also raises questions for Finnish readers about the circumstances surrounding the arrest of a Finnish national in the United States and the distinction between an immigration enforcement action and a criminal finding. Further details about the allegations and the legal process have not yet been made public in the information provided by the authorities.
The official US Department of Justice has since provided additional information about the case. It identifies the Finnish national as Eija Annikki Yaroma, 66, of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, and confirms that she was charged with voting by a non-citizen in the 2024 general election. The department’s announcement, dated 2 November 2026, also identifies her as a lawful permanent resident of the United States. This additional information makes it possible to give readers a more complete account while keeping the allegations clearly distinguished from a conviction.
The case is part of a wider series of election-related investigations involving non-US citizens in Pennsylvania. In a separate announcement on 5 October, the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania reported charges against four other non-citizens over alleged illegal voting in the 2024 election. The investigations involve individuals from several countries and are being handled by federal authorities.
Under US federal and Pennsylvania law, non-US citizens are generally not eligible to vote in federal elections. Lawful permanent residents, commonly known as green card holders, can live and work in the United States but do not have the right to vote in presidential and congressional elections.
The Finnish woman’s case became public shortly before the 2026 US midterm elections. ICE and its investigative division, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), have used social media to announce arrests involving foreign nationals suspected of voting illegally. The agency has also publicised cases involving Canadian and Italian nationals.
ICE’s enforcement activity had attracted attention in the run-up to the midterms, amid concerns that immigration officers could appear at polling stations and discourage people from voting. Those concerns did not appear to materialise in the way some had anticipated. US officials had nevertheless made clear that investigations into suspected illegal voting would continue.
For Yaroma, the allegations concern her participation in the 2024 general election, rather than the 2026 midterm elections. The charges announced by federal prosecutors remain allegations, and she is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
