The Justice Department has sued California, alleging that more than 20,000 noncitizens are unlawfully registered to vote and accusing the state of failing to cooperate on voter-list checks. The department wants the court to stop tabulating mail ballots from people it considers likely noncitizens until their citizenship can be determined. Los Angeles County declined to review a password-protected thumb drive, citing its data privacy and information security rules, after receiving a 48-hour deadline. California’s secretary of state said the federal list had not been provided and disputed claims about noncitizens on the rolls. The case remains unresolved, and the Justice Department’s wider effort to obtain voter records has faced court defeats.
TLDR: Federal officials are asking a California court to pause tabulation of certain mail ballots while citizenship status is checked, based on allegations that the state has unlawfully registered noncitizens. California disputes the claims and Los Angeles County rejected the federal data device, citing security protocols.
The Justice Department has sued California, alleging that more than 20,000 noncitizens are unlawfully registered to vote. The federal case, filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, seeks action before the upcoming midterm elections. The allegations have not been established in court, and the lawsuit does not itself determine anyone’s citizenship or voting status.
The department says the case is about keeping voter lists accurate and preventing ballots from being counted when a voter’s citizenship is in doubt. Attorney General Todd Blanche said state-facilitated voter fraud is unacceptable. The lawsuit says the federal government sought to work with California to identify noncitizens on its voter rolls, but alleges the state made no serious effort to do so.
The Justice Department is asking the court to stop California from tabulating vote-by-mail ballots from people it describes as likely noncitizens until their citizenship status can be determined. That request is a proposed remedy, not a court order. The outcome will depend on the court’s consideration of the allegations and the state’s response.
The lawsuit followed letters Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter sent to counties earlier this week, including Los Angeles County. The letters directed election officials to review names of suspected noncitizens who, according to McCotter, received mail-in ballots for the upcoming midterms. His letter to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk included a password-protected thumb drive that he said contained names compiled by the Department of Homeland Security.
McCotter gave the Los Angeles clerk’s office 48 hours to review the list. County Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan said the county would not review the thumb drive because it did not meet established data privacy and information security protocols. Logan described the device as an insecure medium. That response puts the practical dispute in plain view: federal officials sought a rapid review, while county officials said the delivery method did not satisfy their security rules.
California officials also disputed the federal account. Secretary of State Shirley Weber said the Justice Department had not provided the list of names and called claims that California had 190,000 noncitizens on its voter rolls unsubstantiated. That figure is distinct from the Justice Department’s allegation that it identified more than 20,000 noncitizens unlawfully registered to vote. The excerpt does not explain how either estimate was compiled, and neither should be treated as a court finding.
For election officials, the immediate demands include reviewing a list of names, handling sensitive data, and meeting a short deadline. The Los Angeles county clerk declined to use the thumb drive under the stated security protocols. The Justice Department’s requested court order could also delay tabulation of mail ballots flagged as belonging to likely noncitizens until citizenship is determined, if the court grants that request. The available information does not specify a fee, a required form, or a new compliance deadline beyond the 48-hour review demand.
The case is part of a broader department effort to obtain voter data from states. The Civil Rights Division has filed 31 lawsuits seeking unredacted voter rolls and has said the records would be used to help keep lists clean. It has also acknowledged plans to share the data with the Department of Homeland Security so the lists can be screened for noncitizens. In July, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon sent letters to all 50 states warning of possible criminal action if they knowingly allowed noncitizens to remain on voter rolls.
That campaign has encountered substantial legal resistance. The Justice Department has lost 26 of those cases and has not won a legal victory to date, according to the excerpt. It has used publicly available voter lists and other investigative methods to look for noncitizens who may be registered. Those losses matter: the California suit is an allegation in a contested legal effort, not proof that the department’s broader approach has prevailed.
The administration’s stated rationale—accurate voter lists and lawful election administration—rests on a straightforward principle, but the process also raises questions about privacy, secure data handling, federal authority, and local control. California’s refusal to review the device and the federal lawsuit show that the parties disagree about both cooperation and procedure. The court will have to weigh the requested limits on ballot tabulation against the state’s position and the facts established in the case.
The next steps are judicial review of the lawsuit and any response from California, followed by any court decision on the requested relief. The 48-hour county deadline has been stated, but the excerpt does not say that the court has ordered California to pause ballot counting or set a further deadline. Those legal proceedings and any resulting compliance requirements are necessary steps in deciding how the allegations will be handled.
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.