The key facts

  • Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter warned Los Angeles County officials of criminal liability for counting ballots of suspected non-citizens.
  • The Justice Department lawsuit, filed Thursday, seeks to block the counting of ballots from 'likely' non-citizens pending status verification; the administration cites a list of 20,000 names.
  • California Secretary of State Shirley Weber said no supporting evidence had been provided; legal experts view the Justice Department's position skeptically.

Justice Department Warning

The Trump administration on Friday warned California election officials that they could face criminal prosecution for counting ballots cast by individuals whom federal agencies consider non-citizens. Newsmax reported the news. The conflict is escalating ahead of the November 3 election. Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter wrote in a letter to Los Angeles County officials: 'If individuals knowingly count ballots cast by people identified by federal agencies as non-citizens, they risk becoming accomplices to a federal crime.'

Lawsuit and List of 20,000 Names

The warning followed a Justice Department lawsuit filed Thursday, which seeks to block the counting of ballots mailed by individuals identified as 'likely' non-citizens until their immigration status is verified. The administration cites a list of 20,000 names. California Secretary of State Shirley Weber stated that the federal side had not provided supporting evidence.

Experts' Reaction

UCLA law professor Rick Hasen noted that the letter 'raises the stakes, threatening election officials with potential criminal prosecution.' Justin Levitt, a professor at Loyola Law School and a former Justice Department employee, said: 'Courts have not bought what the Justice Department was selling, and nothing in this letter is calibrated to change course.'