DOJ sues California over ballots tied to alleged noncitizens

The U.S. Department of Justice sued California election officials on Thursday, asking a judge to block the counting of mail ballots from people it identifies as likely noncitizens until their citizenship is confirmed. The lawsuit followed a 48-hour demand to review a federal list and restrict ballots linked to people whose status could not be verified. In letters dated October 13, Acting Deputy Attorney General R. Trent McCotter gave California Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Los Angeles County Registrar Dean Logan until noon Eastern on October 15 to examine the list. The letters asked officials to withhold ballots not yet sent to listed voters and segregate returned ballots until citizenship was determined. They specified that ballots should be set aside, not canceled, and warned that the department might seek emergency relief if officials did not carry out the requested steps. The lawsuit, filed Thursday, asks a judge to bar California from counting the ballots while eligibility is checked. The DOJ says it sought cooperation from state officials; Weber has questioned the basis for the federal claims and the way the list was delivered.