Justice Department Sues California Over Alleged Noncitizens On Voter Rolls
The Justice Department sued California on Thursday, October 15, 2026, asking a federal court to block counting of about 20,000 mail ballots that it says were sent to people identified as likely noncitizens.[1]
The suit says California failed to meet a 48-hour DOJ deadline to review a thumb drive containing roughly 20,000 names and asks the court to block tabulation of those ballots until citizenship can be verified.[1] Los Angeles County Registrar Dean Logan said his office received the thumb drive and a handwritten password on a sticky note and called the delivery insecure.[1]
California Secretary of State Shirley Weber told DOJ the department provided no evidence or methodology to support its claim about the 20,000 names.[1] She cited a Nevada case where about 16,000 suspected noncitizens on voter rolls were later found to be U.S. citizens.[1] Weber said California's elections are in "full compliance" with federal law and called DOJ's demands "unprecedented measures" that threaten thousands of Californians' right to vote.[1]
California Attorney General Rob Bonta said state officials will not segregate or withhold ballots and that the administration's figure dropped from about 190,000 over the summer to roughly 20,000 now.[1] He also said federal law bars changes to voter rolls within 90 days of an election.[1] CBS News separately reported that the Justice Department filed the lawsuit against state election officials on Thursday.[2]
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📌 Key Facts
- On Thursday, October 15, 2026, the Trump administration filed a lawsuit against California election officials after the state did not meet a 48-hour DOJ deadline to review a thumb drive containing about 20,000 names identified as “likely” noncitizens who were sent mail ballots for the November 3, 2026 election — Trump administration.
- The DOJ lawsuit argues California “made no serious effort” to work collaboratively to identify noncitizen voters and asks a court to enjoin the state from tabulating vote-by-mail ballots from those listed as “likely noncitizens” until their citizenship can be determined — DOJ lawsuit.
- California Secretary of State Shirley Weber sent a letter to the Justice Department saying DOJ has not provided evidence or methodology supporting its allegation about the 20,000 names, cited a Nevada case in which roughly 16,000 suspected noncitizens on voter rolls were found to be U.S. citizens, and said California’s elections are in “full compliance” while calling DOJ’s demands “unprecedented measures” — California Secretary of State Shirley Weber.
- Los Angeles County Registrar Dean Logan said his office received the DOJ letter and the thumb drive accompanied by a handwritten password on a sticky note, and both his office and the secretary of state characterized that delivery as insecure — Los Angeles County Registrar Dean Logan.
- California Attorney General Rob Bonta said state officials would not follow DOJ directives to segregate or withhold ballots, noted the administration’s alleged noncitizen count fell from about 190,000 over the summer to 20,000 now, and asserted the federal government is violating the 90-day federal prohibition on changes to voter rolls before an election — California Attorney General Rob Bonta.
📰 Source Timeline (2)
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- On Thursday, October 15, 2026, the Trump administration filed its lawsuit against California election officials after the state did not meet a 48-hour DOJ deadline to review a thumb drive containing 20,000 names identified as 'likely' noncitizens who were sent mail ballots for the November 3, 2026 election.
- California Secretary of State Shirley Weber sent a letter to the Justice Department stating DOJ has not provided evidence or methodology supporting its allegation about the 20,000 alleged noncitizens and citing a prior Nevada case where about 16,000 suspected noncitizens on voter rolls were all found to be U.S. citizens.
- Los Angeles County Registrar Dean Logan said his office received the DOJ letter and thumb drive along with a handwritten password, and he and the secretary of state's office characterized the thumb drive and 'sticky note' password as insecure.
- Weber said California's elections are in 'full compliance' with federal law and called DOJ's demands 'unprecedented measures that threaten thousands of Californians' right to vote' based on unverifiable information or unexplained methodology.
- California Attorney General Rob Bonta said Thursday morning that state officials would not carry out DOJ's directives to segregate or withhold ballots, argued the administration's numbers dropped from 190,000 alleged noncitizens over the summer to 20,000 now, and asserted the federal government is violating the 90-day federal prohibition on changes to voter rolls before an election.
- The DOJ lawsuit asserts that California 'made no serious effort' to work collaboratively to identify noncitizen voters and asks the court to enjoin the state from tabulating vote-by-mail ballots from 'likely noncitizens' until their citizenship can be determined.