DOJ Complains Against California Over Voter Registration Issues
On Thursday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it has filed a complaint against the State of California, alleging that more than 20,000 likely undocumented individuals are registered to vote.
This 16-page complaint, directed to California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber and Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean Logan, claims that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) identified these names through a review of voter rolls alongside federal data.
The filing highlights that, under state law, all registered voters receive federal ballots automatically. This means that many of these “likely noncitizens” were sent mail-in ballots at the beginning of October.
“State-facilitated voter fraud is unacceptable in the United States of America,” Attorney General Todd Blanche stated in a DOJ announcement. He emphasized that if the State of California is found culpable, it would significantly erode public trust in the electoral system and infringe upon laws designed to safeguard the representative government.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin commented in the statement that the investigation into the voter rolls is still ongoing, calling the situation “completely unacceptable.” He added that any vote cast by a noncitizen effectively negates an American citizen’s vote, which compromises the sanctity of elections.
“DHS is dedicated to uncovering unlawful voting, preserving the integrity of federal elections, and guaranteeing that only eligible American citizens choose the nation’s leaders,” Mullin continued.
The DOJ’s complaint indicates that mail-in ballots cover a range of elections—state, local, and federal—and notes that California does not inform noncitizens that voting in federal elections is a serious offense. Additionally, it claims that California does not adequately vet signatures on ballots, frequently accepting ballots that are merely marked with an “X” instead of actual names.
Mail ballots are already in most voters’ hands, and Election Day is less than three weeks away. Every count, recount, hand count, lawsuit, and audit has found that there’s no widespread voter fraud in the U.S. The Trump Admin’s last-minute demands are meritless, and we look forward to making our case in court.
— Rob Bonta (@AGRobBonta) October 15, 2026
“California election officials had the chance to eliminate noncitizens from their voter rolls and to set aside ballots from suspected ineligible voters. They chose not to,” stated First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California in the DOJ announcement. “We are bringing California to federal court to ensure that the votes of American citizens are not overshadowed by those of noncitizens.”
In response, California Governor Gavin Newsom labeled the lawsuit a “sad” and “desperate attempt” by President Donald Trump to leverage the DOJ to suppress California voters just weeks before the November elections.
“The courts have clarified that the federal government has no authority over state election processes, yet now, amid voting in California, they have asked local officials—who do commendable work defending democracy—to breach federal law,” Newsom remarked. “This unprecedented request should alarm every American. We will continue to conduct fair elections in the Golden State and challenge this authoritarian behavior as he resorts to tactics straight from a dictator’s playbook.”
