Trump Administration Appeals Ruling on Noncitizen Ballots in California
The Justice Department seeks to block California from counting votes from alleged noncitizens, citing potential dilution of citizen votes.
The Trump administration is escalating its legal challenge to California's election practices, appealing to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to prevent the state from counting ballots cast by individuals it suspects are noncitizens. This move comes after a federal judge did not rule on the administration's request for an emergency injunction by a Thursday deadline.
The Justice Department filed a notice of appeal on Thursday, arguing that the lack of a ruling from U.S. District Judge David O. Carter effectively denied its bid to halt the sending and counting of mail-in ballots until the citizenship of voters on a federal list of more than 20,000 individuals can be verified. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli stated at a news conference, "Every minute that goes by, American citizen votes are being diluted in the state of California. It’s an emergency, and we expect the courts to treat it as such."
The lawsuit was initiated on Oct. 15, with the Justice Department seeking expedited relief four days later. The administration requested an injunction and a ruling by noon on Thursday. With no decision rendered by the deadline, federal attorneys pursued an appeal, characterizing the delay as a constructive denial of their request.
This dispute centers on a federal list of over 20,000 individuals that California Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan reportedly did not review within the timeframe requested by the department. California officials are pushing back against the federal allegations. Attorney General Rob Bonta's office filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit on Wednesday night. Weber has also questioned the research behind the federal list and expressed concerns about removing voters without sufficient documentation.
The administration's appeal raises the stakes as it seeks swift judicial intervention to address its concerns about potential noncitizen voting, while California officials defend their election processes and challenge the federal government's claims.