Federal prosecutors sent letters to 57 of California’s 58 counties on Friday, demanding that local elections officials segregate and verify ballots from voters the U.S. Justice Department alleges may be noncitizens. The letters, obtained by The Associated Press and first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, were sent to county registrars with a 48-hour deadline to comply or face potential criminal penalties.
The action follows a broader legal dispute between the Trump administration and California officials over alleged noncitizen voting. On October 10, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against California Secretary of State Shirley Weber and L.A. County Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan, seeking to block the counting of approximately 20,000 ballots from voters the federal government claims are likely noncitizens. A hearing on the case is scheduled for Tuesday, with the administration requesting an expedited ruling from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals by Saturday.
Core demands and legal threats
The letters, signed by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, state that election officials who knowingly process ballots from noncitizens could face legal jeopardy. The Justice Department is requesting that counties provide identifying information for the flagged voters, including Social Security numbers, ID details, and copies of voter registration forms. Officials are also instructed to sequester ballots where citizenship cannot be verified.
California officials’ response
Weber and Logan have opposed the federal demands, arguing in court filings that the administration’s efforts are illegal and based on “shoddily compiled lists of supposed noncitizens.” The state contends that the federal government is attempting to assert control over state election processes through coercive threats. The lawsuit accuses the Trump administration of using “coercive threats” against state officials to pressure compliance.
Background and broader context
The federal government has framed its actions as part of an effort to root out illegal voting by noncitizens, a practice that data shows is incredibly rare and has not been shown to change election outcomes. However, critics argue that the administration’s approach targets a negligible issue while undermining confidence in election integrity. The dispute comes amid heightened federal scrutiny of California’s voter rolls, with the Justice Department previously sending similar notices to Weber and Logan last week.
Next steps and legal timeline
County officials must respond to the letters by their respective deadlines, which vary by jurisdiction. The federal lawsuit remains pending, with the administration seeking an immediate injunction to prevent the counting of the disputed ballots. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has been asked to rule on the matter by Saturday, setting up a potential accelerated legal showdown before the midterm elections.