Key facts
- Federal grand jury subpoenas were issued to Los Angeles County election officials.
- The investigation concerns alleged voting by noncitizens.
- The Justice Department has charged 156 immigrants with unlawful voting or registration.
- A federal judge rejected a DOJ request to block mail-in ballots from 20,000 alleged noncitizens.
The Trump administration has escalated its investigation into alleged noncitizen voting in California by issuing federal grand jury subpoenas to Los Angeles County election officials. The move, part of a broader effort to identify voter fraud, has drawn criticism from Democrats who fear it could be used to cast doubt on election results.
The subpoenas seek information on the agency's methods for detecting unlawful voting by aliens and preventing such ballots from being counted. They also request records related to the county's response to previous Justice Department letters warning of criminal exposure for non-compliance.
Despite studies showing noncitizen voting is rare and has no impact on election outcomes, the Justice Department has focused intensely on the issue. A federal judge recently rejected a DOJ request to block mail-in ballots from 20,000 alleged noncitizens, a ruling the department has appealed.