DOJ Subpoenas California Election Workers Amid Noncitizen Voting Probe
The Department of Justice has issued criminal grand jury subpoenas to election officials in California as part of an escalating investigation into allegations of noncitizen voting.
Federal prosecutors acting on behalf of the Department of Justice (DOJ) have issued criminal grand jury subpoenas to at least four election workers in California. This action marks an intensification of the Trump administration's efforts to investigate claims of noncitizens casting votes in federal elections. The subpoenas target local and state officials, seeking records related to the process of preventing noncitizens from voting and any evidence collected concerning aliens voting in federal elections.
At least one subpoena was reportedly delivered to election employees at the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder’s office, requesting information on the department's procedures for noncitizen voting and evidence gathered on noncitizens voting in federal elections. Another similar subpoena was issued to an official in Orange County. These developments occurred after a federal judge rejected a DOJ request to halt California from immediately counting mail-in ballots linked to over 20,000 registered voters whose citizenship status the administration has questioned.
The judge presiding over the case cautioned against threatening state or county employees, stating in a Wednesday decision that "These threats must stop." The DOJ, however, has pushed back against the characterization that the administration is targeting individuals. A DOJ spokesperson noted that receiving a subpoena does not automatically mean an individual is a target and that the department generally does not subpoena targets.
"To be clear, the district court judge explained that voting unlawfully results in criminal exposure. Consistent with this, California also wrote in its filing that the remedy for unlawful voting is through criminal prosecution," a Justice Department spokeswoman stated. "Thus, while DOJ maintains that a civil remedy is still available, all agree that noncitizen voting is properly addressed through criminal law." The department declined to comment on the specifics of the alleged grand jury subpoenas, citing policy.
The DOJ's actions in California are part of a broader initiative by the Trump administration aimed at uncovering widespread voter fraud. While the department has identified instances of non-citizens being registered to vote in federal elections, it has not yet substantiated widespread illegal voting. The DOJ has appealed the recent court decision that blocked its attempt to compel California to separate ballots associated with the approximately 20,000 registered voters suspected of being noncitizens. Many of these ballots have already been cast and anonymized, making their identification practically difficult.
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Previous actions by the Justice Department include charging 16 individuals across multiple states with alleged illegal voting and election crimes. The administration has also previously threatened emergency legal action against California regarding suspected noncitizen voters.
The California governor's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.