DOJ Demands Rapid Check on 20,000 Ballots, Sparking Legal Battle in California

The Department of Justice ordered California county election officials to verify the citizenship status of approximately 20,000 voters within 48 hours. The directive arrived Friday, less than two weeks before the midterm elections. Attorney General Rob Bonta immediately challenged the timeline, arguing the federal government is using legal tools to attack political opponents.

The conflict escalated over a list of names provided to local election staff. Federal prosecutors requested that counties share necessary information with the Department of Homeland Security to confirm citizenship quickly. The Justice Department described the effort as a measure to ensure the most secure election in the state's history. However, state officials argued the short window forces a rushed review that could disenfranchise eligible citizens.

Los Angeles election personnel stated this week that a high percentage of the individuals on the list were born in the United States. Governor Gavin Newsom criticized the federal approach on social media, claiming the department sent lists of people who never voted and voters from the wrong county. He called the process an absolute clown show. Representative Pete Aguilar, who represents south-west San Bernardino County, said voter intimidation has no place in the democracy.

Bonta told MS Now that the Justice Department is politicizing and weaponizing the law. He stated the department is acting at the direction of President Donald Trump. At a recent press conference, Bonta noted that officials received only names without an explanation of why those people were supposedly ineligible. He said the state would review the information if the federal government provided it, but noted they have provided none.

The demand follows a recent federal charge against 28 foreign nationals accused of fraudulently registering to vote. Bill Essayli, the first assistant US attorney, said the arrests prove California is mailing ballots to noncitizens. The defendants are lawful permanent residents who hold legal status in the US but are not citizens. The Justice Department has stepped up prosecutions of people accused of voting without US citizenship as the midterms approach.

State officials took no action on the letters sent Friday, citing the rapidly approaching election. That inaction started a legal fight with the Justice Department. An appeals court is scheduled to hear the matter on Tuesday.