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DOJ demands that California counties help identify noncitizen voters
NBC News • • general
Key Points:
- The Department of Justice has warned California election officials to cooperate in identifying noncitizen voters from a federal list or face potential legal action, escalating efforts to prevent ballots from likely noncitizens being counted.
- Letters were sent to 57 of California’s 58 counties, including San Bernardino and Los Angeles, demanding officials verify citizenship status of 1,133 individuals flagged as “likely aliens” within 48 hours.
- DOJ officials instructed counties to segregate, not cancel, vote-by-mail ballots from individuals whose citizenship could not be confirmed and warned that knowingly processing ballots from noncitizens is a federal crime with significant legal consequences.
- Democratic Senator Alex Padilla criticized the DOJ’s actions, stating the claims of massive voter fraud lack evidence and that the federal government has no authority to interfere with local election processes.
- The letters reflect the Trump administration’s ongoing attempts to challenge California’s election procedures amid disputes over voter fraud allegations.
