The Justice Department has given California 48 hours to determine whether citizens appear on a federal list of people believed likely to be noncitizens who may have received mail ballots for next month’s midterm elections. The department provided Los Angeles County officials with the names on a password-protected thumb drive and warned that legal action may follow. For individuals whose citizenship cannot be independently verified, the state is instructed to have local officials segregate their ballots until status is determined. The account does not confirm that any noncitizen is registered or that any listed person has returned a ballot. California’s secretary of state and the county registrar had not immediately responded to requests for comment.
TLDR: California has 48 hours to check whether citizens appear on a federal list of people believed likely to be noncitizens. Ballots tied to cases that cannot be independently verified are to be kept separate until officials determine citizenship status, with possible legal action warned.
The Justice Department has given California 48 hours to check whether citizens appear on a federal list of people believed likely to be noncitizens who may have received mail ballots for next month’s midterm elections. The department warned that legal action may follow if the state does not take the steps outlined in a letter sent Tuesday. The request puts election officials on a tight clock and makes clear that federal authorities expect a prompt review.
The department’s stated concern is that people it believes are likely noncitizens may have received ballots. That concern is the basis for the requested review, not proof that any noncitizen is registered or has received a ballot. The letter directs California to determine whether citizens are included on the list and to hold certain ballots while citizenship status is checked.
The letter was sent to California Secretary of State Shirley Weber by Trent McCotter, the acting deputy attorney general. It says the Justice Department provided Los Angeles County officials with a password-protected thumb drive containing names the federal government believes are likely noncitizens. The state has 48 hours to determine whether any citizens are listed. That deadline turns a broad concern into a specific administrative task for state and county election officials.
The distinction between a federal suspicion and a verified registration fact matters. The excerpt does not establish how many names are on the drive, whether any listed person is a citizen, or whether anyone on the list has returned a ballot. It also does not describe the method used to assemble the list or the evidence behind individual names. Those details remain unavailable in the material provided.
For people whose citizenship cannot be independently verified, the letter says California is to instruct local election officials to segregate their ballots until their status can be determined. The instruction does not state that those ballots are to be discarded. It calls for them to be kept apart while officials establish the relevant status, a step that places verification ahead of immediate processing for the affected ballots.
That process has practical consequences. Local officials may need to identify the relevant records, check individual citizenship status, and keep some ballots separate while the review continues. The source gives no estimate of how many people or ballots could be affected, how long a status determination may take, or what process individuals would use to provide additional information. It also does not identify any new forms, fees, or direct costs.
The 48-hour deadline is the clearest operational requirement in the letter. It applies to the state’s task of determining whether citizens appear on the federal list. If citizenship cannot be independently verified, the state is instructed to tell local election officials to segregate the person’s ballot until the status question is resolved. The letter warns that legal action may follow, but it does not specify what action or when it might be filed.
The dispute also places responsibility across levels of government. Federal officials supplied the list and set out the requested response, while California and local election officials would carry out the review and ballot segregation described in the letter. The available account does not include a response from either the California Secretary of State or the Los Angeles County Registrar. Neither office immediately responded to requests for comment.
For voters, the direct impact described in the letter is limited to individuals whose names are on the list and whose citizenship cannot be independently verified. Their ballots would be held apart until their status can be determined. The material does not say whether any voter has been notified, whether any ballot has already been segregated, or how a voter could challenge an incorrect listing. Those procedures are not detailed in the account.
The review is therefore a test of both verification and administration under a short deadline. The federal concern remains an allegation about likely noncitizens, while the state is being asked to check whether citizens are among the names and to separate ballots in cases that remain unresolved. The next steps are the 48-hour review and any follow-up by election officials. Those are necessary compliance steps, but the available account offers no assurance that the review is already complete or that every disputed status can be resolved within the deadline.
Olivia Kendall serves as the Senior Correspondent for Geopolitics, Defense, and Foreign Policy at Just Right News, where she provides a principled, conservative perspective on the complex forces shaping the global stage. With a career dedicated to deconstructing the intricacies of international relations, Kendall has become a trusted voice for readers who value national sovereignty, a robust military, and a foreign policy that prioritizes American interests above all else.
A native of Washington, D.C., Kendall’s professional journey is deeply rooted in her upbringing within the nation’s capital. Growing up in the epicenter of American political life, she developed an early and profound understanding of how policy is crafted and, more importantly, how it often fails to account for the values of the American heartland. This unique vantage point allowed her to witness firsthand the rise of globalist bureaucracies, fueling her commitment to reporting that champions the constitutional foundations of the United States. Her background as a British White American further informs her worldview, providing her with a keen appreciation for the Western tradition and the enduring importance of the “Special Relationship” in maintaining global stability.
Now based in Arlington, Virginia, Kendall operates from the doorstep of the Pentagon and the heart of the nation’s defense establishment. Her proximity to the decision-makers in the military and intelligence communities allows her to provide boots-on-the-ground reporting that is both timely and deeply informed. For Kendall, Arlington is more than just a base of operations; it is a daily reminder of the sacrifices made by the men and women in uniform. This connection to the defense community drives her rigorous coverage of military readiness and her advocacy for a “peace through strength” approach to diplomacy.
At Just Right News, Kendall is perhaps best known for her acclaimed feature series, “The World’s Shadow on America.” In this ongoing project, she explores the direct correlation between international developments and the daily lives of American citizens. Whether she is analyzing the encroachment of foreign adversaries in domestic supply chains or the impact of international treaties on local economies, Kendall’s work serves as a vital bridge between distant geopolitical shifts and their consequences at home. She rejects the notion that foreign policy is an abstract concern for elites, instead proving that what happens in the corridors of power in Brussels or Beijing has a tangible “shadow” that falls across every American doorstep.
Throughout her tenure, Kendall has remained a steadfast critic of international overreach and a vocal proponent of a clear-eyed, realistic foreign policy. She brings a sharp analytical mind to her beat, often challenging the prevailing narratives of the mainstream media to uncover the underlying truths that affect national security. Her reporting is characterized by a refusal to compromise on the truth and a dedication to the idea that a strong, secure America is the world’s best hope for liberty. As a Senior Correspondent, Olivia Kendall continues to lead the charge in providing the essential context and conservative insight necessary to navigate an increasingly volatile world.