DOJ Demands California Counties Verify Ballots Amid Noncitizen Voting Crackdown
Federal prosecutors order California election officials to sequester and verify ballots suspected of belonging to noncitizens within a 48-hour deadline.
POLICY WIRE — Los Angeles, USA — Federal prosecutors issued urgent directives to county registrars across California on Friday, mandating that local officials isolate and verify ballots the Department of Justice claims may be linked to noncitizens. The move marks a significant escalation in the ongoing legal confrontation between the Trump administration and California election authorities.
At least 18 counties have received letters requiring them to provide identifying data for ballots flagged by the federal government within a 48-hour window. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli warned that any election official who knowingly processes a noncitizen’s ballot could face legal consequences.
The Justice Department is seeking sensitive information, including social security numbers and registration records, to assess the eligibility of voters. In San Bernardino County alone, the federal list identifies 1,133 individuals suspected of being noncitizens.
California officials have pushed back against these demands, arguing that the federal data is unreliable and that the aggressive timeline threatens to disenfranchise legitimate voters. State legal filings emphasize that such interference could delay the certification of the November midterms and undermine public trust in the electoral process.
This development follows a broader federal sweep earlier in the week, which resulted in 28 individuals being charged with illegal voter registration. While the Trump administration maintains that these actions are necessary to secure the vote, experts note that illegal voting by noncitizens remains statistically rare and has not historically altered election outcomes.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
