In a recent development during California’s state primary election, the Department of Justice (DOJ) requested the state to separate ballots linked to 20,000 individuals it suggested were “likely” noncitizens. However, an initial assessment by local officials has deemed this list “unreliable,” noting many on it had records indicating U.S. birth.
The situation escalated with legal filings by California and local officials opposing a federal lawsuit aimed at forcing an investigation into these voters before their ballots are counted. The state argues that complying with the DOJ’s request would be impossible so close to the election and could potentially breach both federal and state election laws. According to the state, “This litigation is a reckless political stunt,” and risks disenfranchising many Californians.
Previously, the DOJ delivered a thumb drive to Los Angeles County containing the list of names flagged by the Department of Homeland Security as potential noncitizens registered to vote. Concerns about security led county officials to initially refuse opening the drive. Subsequently, the DOJ sent the same list via email.
Out of the 20,000 names, only 7,035 were found in Los Angeles County, with some appearing more than once. A preliminary review by LA County’s Registrar revealed significant errors. For example, almost 39% of those checked in detail were born in the U.S., providing strong evidence of their citizenship.
Moreover, 112 of 200 records reviewed belonged to individuals with canceled or inactive registrations, and a staggering 70% of the sampled individuals lacked any voting history. The Trump administration defended its methods for identifying noncitizen voters but has not fully disclosed these methods publicly. Previous claims of noncitizen voter numbers have proven inaccurate.
Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter admitted to potential errors in the list but stressed the need for California’s cooperation. However, DOJ deputy press secretary Kiersten Pels stated that California must not facilitate federal law violations, emphasizing the need for citizenship verification of listed voters.
On another note, the DOJ filed criminal charges against 28 people from the provided list. Some, like Kamlesh Shah, claim they misunderstood the voting eligibility rules, believing their Real ID conferred voting rights. Shah, a legal permanent resident, expressed considerable stress and sought legal assistance to address the charges.
Research indicates that genuine noncitizen voting is typically rare and often involves legal permanent residents confused by the voting regulations, rather than an act of deliberate fraud.
Leave a Reply