DOJ demands that some California counties set aside and verify alleged noncitizen ballots within 48 hours

October 23, 2026 / 10:54 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Federal prosecutors sent letters to county registrars across California on Friday demanding that local officials set aside and verify ballots that the Justice Department said may belong to noncitizens, according to the Los Angeles County registrar and a letter obtained by The Associated Press.

The letters are the latest escalation in a legal battle between California and President Trump's Justice Department, which has recently focused on the state in its efforts to root out noncitizen voting ahead of the midterm elections. Data shows illegal voting by people who aren't U.S. citizens is incredibly rare, difficult to prove and has not been shown to change the outcome of races.

Earlier this month, the federal government targeted L.A. County and the California Secretary of State's office in a lawsuit that aimed to block them from counting the votes of more than 20,000 people who it alleges are "likely" noncitizen voters. A hearing on the case is scheduled for Tuesday.

The Trump administration on Friday asked the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to rule on the lawsuit barring a decision from the district judge assigned to the case. They set a deadline for Saturday.

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/