The Trump Justice Department is forcing Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) California to review a list of possible noncitizens on the state’s voter rolls or face legal action.
California Secretary of State Shirley Weber received the letter, alleging that the state may have mailed ballots to noncitizens ahead of the pivotal midterm election November 3. In the letter, acting deputy U.S. attorney general Trent McCotter asks the state to review a list of names of individuals who received ballots that may be for noncitizens and gives them 48 hours to do so.
Notably, California mails ballots to all voters.
“On July 16, Secretary [Markwayne] Mullin made you aware that there are likely numerous noncitizens registered to vote in the federal election in California,” the letter reads, noting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin asked for cooperation in addressing the issue.
“Your response the following week did to refute that noncitizens are registered to vote in California,” the letter continued, adding that the answer did not contest that “noncitizens receive ballots through California’s vote-by-mail regime, which automatically sends voting materials to ‘every registered voter.’”
The letter explained that it provided a password-protected thumb drive with a list of names to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk and would provide the office with a list as well if given a secure email address. It gave them 48 hours to review the list and take appropriate actions or face legal trouble.
“For individuals whom you cannot independently confirm citizenship status, we request that you immediately instruct the appropriate elections office to segregate — not cancel — those individuals’ vote-by-mail ballots until their citizenship status can be determined,” it continues.
“The United States hopes that you share our commitment to ensure that only American citizens participate in our federal elections,” the letter reads. “Allowing noncitizens to vote cancels citizen votes.”
“States are responsible for voter registration, and the Federal Government is responsible for maintaining immigration records to enable verification of citizenship,” it adds. “Working together, we can more effectively protect against voter dilution and promote election integrity.”
“If you cannot implement this process by then, given the ongoing federal election, the United States will have no choice but to seek emergency relief,” the letter states.
Weber’s office, however, released a statement on Wednesday, acknowledging it did not directly receive any kind of list to review to their office, specifically. Rather, a thumb drive was provided to the Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder County/Clerk’s office, as detailed in the Department of Justice (DOJ) letter. Weber’s office also claimed Mullin’s claims of noncitizens on the voting rolls are “unsubstantiated.”
“The U.S. DOJ’s relentless efforts to unlawfully gain access to states’ protected voter data and purge voter rolls serve only to cause chaos and fuel public distrust in our elections,” Weber said in a statement. “California has robust state law requirements that only U.S. citizens can register to vote and that any non-eligible registrants are removed from the State’s voter rolls. My office and California election officials remain committed — as always — to ensuring a fair and smooth 2026 General Election.”
