DOJ Charges 28 Foreign Nationals in California for Illegal Voter Registration

The Department of Justice announced on Monday that it has filed charges against 28 foreign nationals in California accused of illegally registering to vote. This move represents an intensification of President Donald Trump's initiative to address what the administration claims is widespread voter fraud in the state, particularly concerning noncitizens participating in elections.

Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter stated that the charges are part of the Justice Department's ongoing efforts to combat fraud in federal elections. McCotter indicated that 11 of the defendants have been taken into federal custody, with the remaining 17 expected to be arrested in the near future. The information leading to these charges was reportedly derived from Department of Homeland Security data, which officials cross-referenced with voter registration lists.

This development follows a recent action last week, where the Trump administration sought to temporarily block California from counting mail-in ballots submitted by approximately 20,000 individuals identified by the DOJ as likely noncitizens registered to vote. McCotter asserted that the 28 defendants charged are part of this larger group, and the charges highlight the risks associated with California's alleged refusal to review the provided list.

DOJ officials faced questions regarding the timing of the charges, given the approaching midterm elections and the availability of California's public voter rolls. They also addressed discrepancies between previous estimates of potentially ineligible voters and the more recent figure of 20,000. McCotter explained that the higher number represented a "ceiling" while the 20,000 represented a "floor."

California has become a focal point in the administration's campaign against noncitizen voting, although sources indicate there is scant evidence of such instances occurring on a significant scale nationwide. Officials also criticized California for reportedly not granting them access to their voter rolls and for challenging the DOJ's findings without allowing such access.