ON
← Back to feed
Trump sues California to prevent counting 20,000 voters' ballots
United States🏛️ PoliticsLean Conservative19 hr. ago

Trump sues California to prevent counting 20,000 voters' ballots

The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit against California and two election officials, alleging that the state is allowing noncitizens to vote in federal elections. The lawsuit seeks to block approximately 20,000 voters from having their ballots counted until their citizenship status is verified. Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that if proven true, California would have undermined confidence in the electoral system and violated laws protecting the nation’s representative system. The Justice Department claims the list of potentially ineligible voters was compiled using data from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, ICE, the Social Security Administration, and the State Department. However, previous administrations’ similar lists have been criticized for inaccuracies. California’s election officials were given a password-protected drive containing the names of over 20,000 voters and instructed to verify their citizenship within 48 hours. Governor Gavin Newsom called the lawsuit a 'desperate attempt' by Trump to suppress votes in California ahead of the election.

The U.S. Department of Justice has sued California, claiming that more than 20,000 noncitizens received mail-in ballots for the upcoming midterm elections. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, accuses the state of failing to cooperate with the federal government in addressing alleged issues with its voter rolls. Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter previously sent letters to several California counties, including Los Angeles, demanding they review a list of suspected noncitizens who allegedly received mail-in ballots. The list was delivered on a password-protected thumb drive, with a 48-hour deadline for verification. Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that state-facilitated voter fraud is unacceptable in the United States. He warned that if California is found responsible in court, it would have undermined confidence in the electoral system and violated laws protecting the nation's representative system of government. The lawsuit argues that the federal government requested California to collaborate in identifying noncitizens registered to vote, but the state did not make a serious effort to address the issue. In response, California Secretary of State Shirley Weber criticized the Trump administration for making unsubstantiated claims about noncitizens on voter rolls. She noted that the Justice Department had not provided the list of names and questioned the accuracy of previous estimates, such as the claim that California had 190,000 noncitizens on its voter rolls. Weber emphasized that California requires only U.S. citizens to register to vote and that those who are not eligible are removed from the rolls. Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean Logan stated that his office would not review the materials on the thumb drive due to concerns about data privacy and information security. He described the device as insecure and indicated that the letter did not specify the number of individuals involved or the nature of the information contained in the records. The Justice Department has filed 31 lawsuits aimed at compelling states to provide unredacted copies of their voter rolls. These efforts are intended to ensure that states maintain clean voter lists, although the department has acknowledged sharing the data with the Department of Homeland Security for screening purposes. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon sent letters to all 50 states in July, warning of criminal action if they knowingly allowed noncitizens to remain on their voter rolls. However, the Justice Department has lost 26 of these cases and has not secured any legal victories to date. The lawsuit also highlights the broader context of the Trump administration's focus on identifying noncitizen voters. The administration has prioritized this issue despite the rarity of such cases. The Justice Department has charged approximately 90 individuals for election-related misconduct this year, including 50 who are alleged to have voted as noncitizens. During the 2024 presidential election, there were more than 227 million registered voters in the United States. California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the lawsuit as a desperate attempt by the Trump administration to suppress voters just three weeks before Election Day. He emphasized that the federal government has no role in how states conduct their elections and expressed confidence in the ability of local officials to defend democratic processes. California Attorney General Rob Bonta similarly dismissed the claims as baseless conspiracy theories, asserting that there is no widespread voter fraud in the country. The lawsuit requests that a court intervene to prevent the counting of ballots from the 20,000 voters identified as likely noncitizens until their citizenship status can be verified. The Justice Department maintains that the federal government has long alerted California to the possibility of noncitizens on its voter rolls and expects the state to take appropriate measures to address the issue. Meanwhile, California officials continue to challenge the legitimacy of the claims and prepare their defense in court.

How this report was made. Objective News wrote this report from 6 source articles, using AI-assisted synthesis under our methodology. It is our own text, not a copy of any single outlet. Read our methodology.

Responsible editor: Matej BašaSpotted an error? Report it

Go to the primary sources (1)

The official sources this coverage is built on. Read them directly to bypass framing.

6 reports

CBS News (US) logoCBS News (US)IndependentConservative19 hr. ago
Justice Dept. sues California, claims noncitizens were sent ballots

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against California, accusing the state of allowing over 20,000 noncitizens to be unlawfully registered to vote. The lawsuit claims these individuals are ineligible voters and asserts that California's voter registration system failed to properly verify citizenship status. This legal action comes amid ongoing debates over election integrity and voting rights across the United States. The case could have significant implications for future elections and voter eligibility laws.

Bias read (Conservative): The article frames the issue as a problem of unlawful voting by noncitizens, which aligns with conservative concerns about election security and voter fraud. The term 'unlawfully registered' emphasizes the alleged illegality of the situation, suggesting a focus on enforcing strict voter eligibility.

The Hill logoThe HillIndependentProgressive21 hr. ago
9 former FBI agents sue, saying they were wrongly fired over Mar-a-Lago case

Nine former FBI agents have filed a lawsuit against the Justice Department, claiming they were wrongfully terminated due to their involvement in the investigation into President Donald Trump's handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. Their attorneys argue that the firings were based solely on their participation in the probe into Trump's alleged misconduct. The lawsuit suggests that the agents' employment was terminated because of their role in examining Trump's actions, rather than any performance-related issues. This legal action highlights concerns about potential retaliation against federal employees involved in politically sensitive investigations.

Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the lawsuit as an instance of wrongful termination tied to the investigation into Trump, which is a highly politicized issue. The emphasis on 'wrongly fired' and the implication of political motivation suggest a left-leaning perspective, particularly in light of the broader debate

Axios logoAxiosIndependentConservative22 hr. ago
Trump sues California to prevent counting 20,000 voters' ballots

The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit against California and two election officials, alleging that the state is allowing noncitizens to vote in federal elections. The lawsuit seeks to block approximately 20,000 voters from having their ballots counted until their citizenship status is verified. Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that if proven true, California would have undermined confidence in the electoral system and violated laws protecting the nation’s representative system. The Justice Department claims the list of potentially ineligible voters was compiled using data from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, ICE, the Social Security Administration, and the State Department. However, previous administrations’ similar lists have been criticized for inaccuracies. California’s election officials were given a password-protected drive containing the names of over 20,000 voters and instructed to verify their citizenship within 48 hours. Governor Gavin Newsom called the lawsuit a 'desperate attempt' by Trump to suppress votes in California ahead of the election.

Bias read (Conservative): The article frames the lawsuit as an effort to prevent potential voter fraud, emphasizing concerns about noncitizen participation in elections. It highlights statements from the Trump administration criticizing California’s election practices while presenting the opposing view from Governor Newsom,

Los Angeles Times logoLos Angeles TimesIndependent🔒Conservativeyesterday
Justice Dept. sues California, seeks to stop state from counting 20,000 ballots

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against California, seeking to prevent the state from counting approximately 20,000 ballots that the federal government believes were cast by individuals who are not U.S. citizens. The lawsuit was initiated under the Trump administration and aims to challenge California's election procedures regarding voter eligibility. California officials have strongly criticized the legal action, viewing it as an attempt to interfere with state electoral processes. This case raises significant questions about federal oversight of state elections and the criteria used to determine voter eligibility.

Bias read (Conservative): The article frames the lawsuit as an initiative of the Trump administration, which implies a political motivation aligned with conservative priorities. The focus on challenging California's ballot-counting practices suggests a potential ideological stance against perceived liberal policies in states

The Daily Wire logoThe Daily WireIndependentConservativeyesterday
Dem-Run State Faces A Midterm Ballot Showdown Over Who’s Eligible To Vote

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit against California, aiming to prevent the state from counting mail-in ballots from individuals identified by the federal government as potentially non-citizens until their citizenship status can be verified. Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter warned California officials via letters that legal action would follow if they did not review a list of suspected non-citizens who received mail-in ballots for the November 3 election. The DOJ delivered the list on a password-protected USB drive to Los Angeles County officials, giving them 48 hours to respond. The DOJ requested that California halt sending ballots to those on the list and set aside returned ballots until citizenship verification occurs. California officials rejected these requests, arguing that the DOJ lacked legal justification and that accessing the data would violate privacy and security protocols.

Bias read (Conservative): The article frames the issue as a matter of preventing 'state-facilitated voter fraud' and emphasizes the DOJ's stance that California's actions undermine confidence in the electoral system. It quotes the DOJ's attorney general condemning potential fraud and highlights California officials' pushback

ABC News (US) logoABC News (US)IndependentCenteryesterday
Justice Department threatens California with legal action over claim of noncitizens on voter rolls

The U.S. Department of Justice has warned California that it may take legal action against the state over allegations that noncitizens were included on voter rolls and potentially received mail ballots for the upcoming midterm elections. The threat comes amid ongoing debates about election integrity and voter eligibility. California officials have previously maintained that their voter registration system is secure and compliant with federal laws. The issue highlights tensions between states and the federal government regarding election administration and citizenship verification. Legal challenges could delay or alter election procedures in the state.

Bias read (Center): The article presents the situation factually, mentioning both the Justice Department's warning and California's stance without overtly favoring either side. It does not include biased language, one-sided sourcing, or omissions that would indicate a clear ideological lean.

How each side covered it

The same event, grouped by the political lean of the outlets covering it.

How each side covered it

Support independent, bias-aware news and unlock the social pulse, community voting, and every other Supporter feature.

Become a Supporter

Covered around the world

The same event as reported in other countries.

Covered around the world

Support independent, bias-aware news and unlock the social pulse, community voting, and every other Supporter feature.

Become a Supporter

Claims check

Key factual claims, and how many sources assert vs dispute each.

Claims check

Support independent, bias-aware news and unlock the social pulse, community voting, and every other Supporter feature.

Become a Supporter

Keep the news honest.

ObjectiveNews is reader-funded and ad-free — we show you the bias instead of hiding it. Support independent journalism for €4/month.

Become a Supporter

Related stories