LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A Chinese University of Michigan student faces criminal charges for voting illegally in early voting, a rare case of a non-US citizen voting.

The student faces charges of perjury and attempting to vote as an unauthorized voter, which is a felony, according to a joint statement by Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit.

The latter charge carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison and a $2,000 fine.

“Anyone who attempts to vote illegally may face significant consequences, including, but not limited to, arrest and prosecution,” the statement said.

THE specter of non-citizen voting in large numbers has been a central part of Republican political messaging this year, as they seek to sow doubt about the election in case former President Donald Trump loses. The data, even from Republican-controlled states, shows how non-citizen voting is rare and far from a large-scale problem.

Only citizens can vote in federal elections, and each voter must certify their U.S. citizenship when registering. Election offices have a detailed process in place that helps them stop any non-citizen who attempts to vote.

“When this happens, we take it extremely seriously,” Benson and Savit said in their statement released Wednesday. “Our elections are secure, and state and local election officials across Michigan strictly follow the law.”

There are more than 7 million active registered voters in Michigan, according to the Michigan Secretary of State’s Office and more than 2 million ballots have already been cast in Tuesday’s election, by mail and early voting as of Thursday morning.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement that she launched an “independent and parallel investigation”.

The student is a 19-year-old Chinese man who resides legally in the United States but is not a citizen, according to Angela Benander, a State Department spokeswoman. He registered to vote Sunday using his University of Michigan student ID and documents establishing residency in Ann Arbor, according to Benander.

The student signed a document identifying himself as a U.S. citizen and then contacted the local clerk’s office to ask to retrieve the ballot, Benander said.

“We are grateful for the Clerk’s quick action in this matter, who took appropriate action and referred the matter to law enforcement,” Benson and Savit said in the release.

The story was first reported by the Detroit News.

Authorities have not named the student. It was not immediately clear whether the student had been arrested or was still in custody Thursday.

China’s Foreign Ministry provided a written statement to The Associated Press on Thursday saying the Chinese government has asked overseas citizens to respect local laws and regulations and avoid engaging in illegal activities. illegal “in any form whatsoever”.

“In the meantime, we urge the United States to fairly investigate and properly handle the case in accordance with law and seriously safeguard the lawful and legitimate rights and interests of the Chinese national involved,” the statement said.

U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar, a Republican from Michigan, called on the university to expel the student. Moolenaar also chairs the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.

Requests for comment to the University of Michigan were not immediately returned.

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Associated Press writer Didi Tang in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.