Adopted New York Woman Faces Federal Voting Charge After Discovering She Was Never a Citizen

A Syracuse, New York, woman has been charged with voting illegally after stating she only recently discovered she was not born in the United States. The case is among the latest arrests highlighted by the Trump administration as federal authorities pursue noncitizen voters ahead of the midterm elections.

Marva Cook, 66, was adopted as a toddler and had long believed she was a U.S. citizen, according to statements she made to Homeland Security investigators earlier this month and detailed in a criminal complaint. While searching for her biological mother, Cook discovered she possesses a German birth certificate.

Federal prosecutors allege that Cook, a legal permanent resident with a green card for several years, cast ballots in recent elections despite not holding U.S. citizenship. She faces a single federal charge of voting by an alien related to her participation in the 2022 midterm elections.

The misdemeanor offense carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 upon conviction. Cook could also face deportation under federal law.

When reached by phone on Friday, Cook declined to discuss the criminal case, her voting history, or her prior efforts to obtain citizenship. She described being placed in shackles during her Wednesday court appearance as difficult, noting that she had voluntarily turned herself in just hours earlier.

“It was a difficult time,” Cook said. “I’m about kindness and service and doing for others as I want to be treated.”

Cook expressed gratitude for community support, noting that several residents accompanied her to court. “The prayers and the support are a big part of how I will get through this,” she said. “I have a deep faith that God will get me through it.”

Her attorney, Paul Tuck, declined to discuss case details on Friday beyond stating that there are no upcoming hearings or filing deadlines. He added that there are no pending immigration proceedings, though Cook has retained an immigration lawyer should that change.

Spokespersons for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III, whose upstate New York office is prosecuting the case, said the arrest demonstrates that “voter fraud is rampant” in the state. Other federal agencies amplified the statement on social media, even though the administration’s own investigations have shown that noncitizen voting is exceedingly rare and has not been shown to alter election outcomes.

“We cannot and will not allow the votes of American citizens to be canceled out by noncitizens illegally voting in our elections,” the Department of Homeland Security wrote in a post on X, which included Sarcone’s statement.

Elsewhere, federal authorities in California recently charged more than two dozen legal permanent residents with illegally casting ballots or registering to vote. Earlier this month, ten people were charged in Minnesota with illegally voting over the past three elections.

Cook’s supporters describe her as a vital member of the Syracuse community, where she has lived for nearly her entire life. Syracuse University’s athletics department confirmed that Cook was the women’s basketball team’s leading scorer during the 1979-80 season, averaging 15 points per game.

Fred Daley, pastor at All Saints Church, called Cook an active parishioner who has served as the church’s Easter Bunny for years. “If the government wanted to make a case, they chose the wrong person,” Daley said. “She’s a poster child of an amazing person. She’s highly respected throughout the community.”

Parishioner Dale Avers, who has known Cook for nearly 20 years, described her as a “person of service” who “never sought limelight.” Avers noted that Cook supports low-income families and youth as the YMCA’s community school program director.

“I’m in total shock that they’re putting this much effort into this,” Avers said. “They understood the story. There was no intent. There’s no malice. There was no deception involved.”

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