Key facts
- DOJ seeks to block counting of over 20,000 mail-in ballots in California's November midterm elections.
- The lawsuit alleges these voters are likely non-citizens.
- California officials called the DOJ's request legally baseless and an attempt to interfere with elections.
- The DOJ previously demanded California officials review a list of alleged non-citizen voters within 48 hours.
- LA County Clerk refused to access a DOJ-provided thumb drive with names due to security concerns.
The US Justice Department sued California on Thursday, asking a federal judge to block the state from counting mail ballots from more than 20,000 voters the Trump administration alleges are likely non-citizens in the November midterm elections. The lawsuit comes after acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter sent letters to California officials demanding they review a list of alleged non-citizen voters and take steps to prevent them from casting ballots or face repercussions. California officials, including Secretary of State Shirley Weber and LA County Clerk Dean Logan, characterized the request as legally baseless and an attempt to interfere with the state's election process. Weber stated that California has robust laws ensuring only U.S. citizens can register to vote and that non-eligible registrants are removed from voter rolls. Logan refused to access a password-protected thumb drive provided by the DOJ, citing data privacy and security protocols.