Los Angeles federal prosecutor Bill Essayli is urging California officials to utilize a federal citizenship database to confirm voter eligibility, stating that such a measure could resolve the ongoing debate over noncitizen participation in elections swiftly. Essayli suggested that the same database used for verifying Medi-Cal applicant citizenship could be employed to check voter rolls.
In a post on X, Essayli questioned why California, which he claims has relied on the federal database for 40 years to verify citizenship for Medi-Cal recipients, cannot use it to confirm voter eligibility. He asserted that 34 other states already use this database for voter eligibility checks and that California could expedite the process by submitting its unredacted voter rolls for review. "What is California afraid of?" Essayli asked, emphasizing that noncitizens are legally prohibited from voting under both state and federal law and that such checks would enhance confidence in election outcomes.
Essayli's comments follow a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that upheld a lower court's decision to reject the Justice Department's emergency request to set aside approximately 20,000 ballots linked to suspected noncitizens. The appeals court, in a 2-1 decision, cited concerns that separating these ballots could disrupt the midterm elections and potentially disenfranchise eligible voters. Former President Donald Trump publicly supported Essayli, criticizing the court's decision and accusing it of obstructing efforts to address alleged election fraud.
The Justice Department had argued that federal officials identified over 20,000 individuals likely to be noncitizens registered to vote in California. However, these allegations have not definitively established that 20,000 illegal votes were cast. The administration's lawsuit against California ensued after Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan declined to comply with federal demands to review the disputed registrations within the specified timeframe.
U.S. District Judge David O. Carter had previously rejected the administration's emergency request, warning of potential election disruption and disenfranchisement. A dissenting judge on the appeals court panel argued that California's refusal to separate the ballots undermined federal efforts to prevent illegal voting.
Essayli had previously expressed concern that potentially ineligible voters might already be casting ballots as mail-in votes are processed. He noted that California had already processed over 300,000 ballots in Los Angeles County alone, stating that "American citizen votes are being diluted." He characterized the situation as an emergency requiring prompt judicial attention.
Separately, Essayli is involved in a legal challenge regarding his authority as the acting U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California. A federal judge ruled that his appointment bypassed federal requirements, but the order was delayed pending an appeal. Essayli has indicated he intends to challenge this ruling further.