US judge rejects Trump bid to block California from counting 20,000 mail ballots of alleged non-citizens

A US judge on Wednesday (Oct 28) rejected a request by the Justice Department to temporarily block California from counting mail ballots for the November 3 midterm elections received from people on a list of more than 20,000 registered voters the Trump administration alleges are likely noncitizens.

The decision marks the latest setback for President Donald Trump's effort to boost the federal government's role in elections ahead of the midterms, with his Republican Party locked in a tight battle to retain control of both houses of Congress.

California insists 'robust' safeguards in place

US District Judge David Carter issued the decision after a hearing on Tuesday in Los Angeles federal court over the Justice Department's request for a temporary restraining order barring officials from counting any ballots from the individuals it flagged.

The Justice Department filed the lawsuit on October 15, a rare intervention in the voting process weeks before an election.

California has said the state's safeguards against noncitizen voting are robust. It said the Justice Department's assertions relied on "suspect data" and that complying with its demands would risk disenfranchising eligible voters.

California is the most populous US state and a Democratic stronghold. It has more seats in the House of Representatives, 52, than any other state.

Trump has made California a focal point of his sweeping immigration crackdown since returning to the White House, accusing it of undermining public safety through its "sanctuary state" policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

Trump has repeatedly insisted that states are not doing enough to stop voting by noncitizens, which he says is widespread despite multiple studies and state audits showing it is rare.

Previously appeals court rejected emergency request

The hearing comes after a federal appeals court on Monday rejected an unusual emergency request by the Justice Department asking the appeals court to temporarily block California from counting the ballots before Carter had the chance to rule.

The Justice Department did not indicate how many of the more than 20,000 people it flagged in California had actually submitted a mail ballot.