Appeals Court Rejects Trump Administration's Voting Lawsuit Against California
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that it lacks jurisdiction at this stage of the litigation.
A federal appeals court has rejected a request from the Trump administration's Justice Department to immediately segregate approximately 20,000 mail-in ballots in California. The ballots are from individuals the administration alleges are likely non-citizens.
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a 2-1 ruling on Monday, stating that the court does not have jurisdiction over the matter at this point in the legal proceedings. The panel sent the case back to the district court, where a hearing is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon to address the Justice Department's lawsuit.
The lawsuit centers on the Trump administration's claim that thousands of non-citizens may have improperly cast ballots in California elections. The Justice Department sought an order to isolate these ballots pending the outcome of the case.
The appeals court's decision means the district court will continue to handle the immediate legal arguments and potential decisions regarding the disputed ballots.