Federal Investigator Contradicts LA County on Noncitizen Voter Claims
A Department of Homeland Security official stated under oath that none of the sampled individuals were born in the U.S., challenging county findings.
A federal investigator has contradicted Los Angeles County's assessment of suspected noncitizen voters, asserting that none of the sampled individuals were born in the United States. The declaration, made under penalty of perjury by Nicolas Bartell, associate director of fraud detection at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, directly challenges the county's earlier findings.
LA County had reported that 38.9% of a 200-person sample of suspected noncitizen voters attested to being born in the U.S. However, Bartell's sworn statement, filed on October 26, indicates that an investigation into federal immigration records found no such individuals among the sampled group who were born in the U.S.
The USCIS examined 51 individuals from a Department of Homeland Security list who had registered to vote in California and claimed U.S. birth. According to Bartell's declaration, four of these individuals might have a claim to U.S. citizenship, including three who potentially derived citizenship through a parent despite being born abroad. Another individual was identified as deceased. Bartell's declaration specifically addresses individuals USCIS matched to the county's sample, not every person on California's voter rolls.
This federal assertion comes as the Trump administration seeks emergency action from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to prevent California from counting ballots linked to more than 20,000 suspected noncitizens. Federal officials argue that these individuals, who received mail-in ballots, are highly likely to be noncitizens. The Justice Department contends that once these disputed ballots are commingled with legitimate votes, separating them could become impossible.
"Every minute that goes by, American citizen votes are being diluted in the state of California," said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. "It’s an emergency, and we expect the courts to treat it as such." Federal law prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections, and the government notes that some individuals have faced criminal charges for alleged illegal registration and voting.