A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to stop pressuring California election officials to separate ballots cast by registered voters identified on federal lists as suspected noncitizens, delivering a setback to the administration’s efforts to scrutinize the state’s voting rolls ahead of the midterm elections.
US District Judge James Boasberg issued the order on Monday, just a day before voters headed to the polls in the November 3 elections. The ruling comes as Republicans, backed by President Donald Trump, seek to retain control of both chambers of Congress.
Boasberg questioned the reliability of the federal government’s voter lists, finding that they contained numerous individuals who had been incorrectly classified as noncitizens.
In his decision, the judge emphasized that California has the authority to determine how it verifies the citizenship status of registered voters. He rejected the administration’s attempt to impose its own procedures on the state, making clear that federal officials cannot unilaterally dictate how California conducts its election-related checks.
The ruling adds another legal obstacle to the Trump administration’s efforts to challenge California’s handling of voter eligibility.
The dispute also reached the nation’s highest court on Monday. The US Supreme Court refused to grant the administration’s request to temporarily prevent California from counting mail-in ballots submitted by more than 20,000 registered voters whom federal officials suspected of being non-US citizens.
With election day approaching, the developments mark a significant moment in the broader clash between the federal government and California over election administration, voter eligibility and the authority to oversee ballot counting.
