A federal judge rejected the Justice Department’s request for a temporary restraining order that would have barred California from counting mail ballots from more than 20,000 alleged noncitizen voters, saying the election "is already underway."
U.S. District Judge David Carter, in a ruling issued late Wednesday night after a hearing in Los Angeles, said the government's request "would wreak havoc and disrupt the election that is already underway, create a chilling effect on election workers and voters alike, and discount the votes of United States citizens."
The Justice Department immediately appealed the decision to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
"
asserted
Department → reject → Appeals
The district court denied our emergency request to sequester ballots from 20,000 suspected noncitizens," U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli wrote on X. "Every day, more ballots are processed by election officials.
asserted
ballots → deny → officials
This ongoing emergency disenfranchises American citizens through dilution.
asserted
emergency → disenfranchise → dilution
The Solicitor General authorized an immediate appeal.
asserted
General → authorize → appeal
We filed our Notice of Appeal and will immediately seek an emergency order from the Ninth Circuit.
asserted
We → file → Circuit
California mails ballots to all 23 million of its registered voters.
asserted
California → mail → voters
More than 3.7 million people have already voted in the state, including more than 500,000 ballots already processed this week with the ballot already out of the envelope, according to court filings.
uncertain
people → vote → filings
It would be impossible to know which ballot belonged to a particular voter now, according to Los Angeles County officials.
uncertain
ballot → know → officials
"Eroded trust in our democracy is irreparable," Judge Carter, appointed by former President Bill Clinton, wrote.
asserted
Carter → erode → Clinton
"Once a vote is segregated, lasting harm has occurred.
asserted
harm → segregate → ?
If the Executive can discount votes and threaten an ongoing election due to unproven allegations, then our democracy is in danger.
asserted
democracy → discount → danger
This Court declines to be a party to such process."
asserted
Court → decline → process
Carter said that "states have control over their elections," but the federal government claims it has evidence the state refuses to accept that there are 20,000 noncitizens registered to vote in the state of California.
uncertain
state → say → California
President Donald Trump has repeatedly insisted that states are not doing enough to stop noncitizens from voting, which he says is widespread.
asserted
he → insist → voting
Carter said the Justice Department never explained why counting ballots would impair any prosecutions under the law, and California said the DOJ's assertions relied on "suspect data."
asserted
assertions → say → data
"There are no mysterious databases; this was laid out in publicly filed declarations," Essayli wrote Wednesday night on X. "Voter rolls were compared to USCIS immigration, Social Security, and passport records.
asserted
rolls → be → immigration
We are not changing the rules mid-election, we are enforcing them.
asserted
we → change → them
It’s unlawful for noncitizens to vote.
asserted
noncitizens → ’ → ?
Registered voters can self-declare to be noncitizens to get removed from the voter roll, and do so while they are seeking naturalization or saying they are ineligible for jury duty.
asserted
they → register → duty
In Washington state, the Justice Department on Monday sent a letter asking officials not to count any ballots received from 400 voters it claims are not citizens.
uncertain
it → send → voters
Washington had 5 million registered voters as of 2024, state records show.
asserted
records → have → 2024
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
asserted
Press → contribute → report
The Aporia
