Illegal Immigrant Voted in Bexar County Elections

What started as a passport fraud cause has expanded to include allegations that an undocumented migrant from Elmendorf illegally voted in two elections, Newsradio 1200 WOAI reports.

Enrique Salazar was in court this week, but asked for more time in his federal fraud trial.

In court papers obtained by 1200 WOAI news, Salazar's application for a new passport raised red flags at the Department of State because the social security number was obtained later in life, which is rare.  He was trying to use a passport that belonged to Jesse H. Vargas Jr.

"Additionally it was found that there are two people with the same identifying information, but substantially different appearances," the federal complaint reads

.Federal agents were able to track down Vargas Jr's sister in Florida, who said her brother currently live in Arizona, not Texas.  It's unclear, though, if there is any link between Salazar and Vargas Jr.

As in the investigation continued, it was discovered that Salazar, allegedly using an illegally obtained U.S. Passport, registered to vote in Bexar County.

"He voted in a Democratic primary in 2008," Bexar Elections Coordinator Jacque Callanan says.  "He has not voted in a primary since then."

She says Salazar was then able to vote in 2016 Presidential election, but under state law, it's unknown who he voted for or if he voted a straight party ticket.

Because Salazar apparently had a real U.S. passport, it would not have set off any red flags at the Bexar Elections department.  Callanan says, when they find migrants who are registered to vote, they contact them immediately, and they're given a chance to clarify their immigration status before they're booted from the voter rolls.

Salazar faces charges of making false statements, passport fraud, identity theft and, now, voting by an alien.


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