Legal Challenges Emerge as DOJ Pushes California to Segregate Ballots

On June 2, 2026, voters participated in California’s state primary election in Los Angeles. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has called for California to separate ballots from around 20,000 individuals identified as ‘likely’ noncitizens. However, local officials have questioned the reliability of this list, suggesting some individuals may have been incorrectly classified.

Court documents reveal that California and local officials, responding to a federal lawsuit, argue that complying with the DOJ’s demands would be impractical and potentially violate both federal and state election laws. ‘At best, this litigation is a reckless political stunt,’ the state asserted in a recent filing. ‘At worst, it threatens to disenfranchise thousands of Californians this election.’

The controversy began when the DOJ provided a thumb drive to Los Angeles County listing the names of individuals it claims are noncitizens registered to vote in California. Initially, the county hesitated to access the drive due to security concerns, leading the DOJ to email the list instead.

From the list of 20,000 individuals, 7,035 were linked to addresses in Los Angeles County, with some entries being duplicates according to a filing by Los Angeles County Registrar Dean Logan. A sample review of 200 records indicated that nearly 39% of these individuals reported a U.S. birthplace, suggesting citizenship.

It’s uncertain how many people in total were misclassified, and details on specific records remain vague. The California Secretary of State’s website requests ‘place of birth’ during voter registration, though it is not required. Individuals born in the U.S. typically receive automatic citizenship outside narrow exceptions.

Among the records reviewed, 112 registrations were either canceled or inactive. Additionally, it was found that approximately 70% of those reviewed lacked a history of voting.

The Trump administration defended its protocols for detecting noncitizen voters, yet failed to provide a thorough explanation publicly. Past figures released by federal officials, including President Trump, have been incorrect regarding noncitizen voting.

At a press conference, Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter recognized potential errors in the federal list. ‘There may be some names on there who it turns out ultimately are citizens, we’re not perfect,’ McCotter stated, adding, ‘We asked California to cooperate with us.’

DOJ deputy press secretary Kiersten Pels responded to questions about the initial analysis by LA County, asserting that ‘California cannot facilitate the violation of federal law.’ Pels stated, ‘We notified California that noncitizens are likely registered to vote, and we asked the state to independently verify the citizenship. It refused to do so.’ She continued that ignoring the issue is not permissible under federal law.

The DOJ also announced criminal charges against 28 individuals from the list, though these cases might involve misunderstandings regarding voting legality. Kamlesh Shah, facing charges, stated to Sacramento TV station KCRA 3 that he believed his Real ID granted him voting rights. ‘I’m feeling very depressed, very full of anxiety,’ Shah expressed. ‘I’m trying to get an attorney, hopefully I can have the charges dismissed.’

All 28 charged individuals were legal permanent residents. Research reveals that noncitizens who mistakenly vote often consist of green-card holders who misunderstand voting regulations, rather than intentional voter fraud.