US Government Cracks Down on Ballot Processing for Noncitizens

WHO:

ABC News - The Trump administration, California local officials

NBC News - Department of Justice

WHAT:

ABC News - The Justice Department's letters to California officials included a two-day deadline for confirming they were conducting a review and moving to segregate potential ballots from individuals identified as noncitizens.

ABC News - The Trump administration's lawsuit alleges that California has refused to purge noncitizens from its voter rolls.

ABC News - Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin warned that election officials "can be held accountable by fines, by penalties, and even depending on how far it goes, prison time."

ABC News - Trent McCotter, the acting deputy attorney general, stated, "The legal consequences for either facilitating or ignoring a federal crime are significant."

ABC News - McCotter warned that election workers risk becoming "aiders and abettors to a federal crime" if they knowingly tabulate ballots from individuals identified as noncitizens.

ABC News - Trump reposted McCotter's letter on his social media platform, stating, "They will all go to jail for a long period of time!!!"

ABC News - The DOJ sent letters demanding California voting officials access a password-protected thumb drive containing thousands of names of potential non-citizens on the state's voter registration list.

ABC News - California Secretary of State Shirley Weber characterized the DOJ's request as "legally baseless and a last-ditch effort by the Trump administration to intervene in the state's election process."

NY Post - The Justice Department's letter warned that election workers who knowingly process ballots from individuals identified as suspected noncitizens could face criminal prosecution.

NY Post - The lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice alleges that there are over 20,000 suspected noncitizen voters on California's voter rolls.

ABC News - The Trump administration is warning local officials that processing ballots from suspected noncitizen voters could lead to criminal investigations.

NBC News - The Department of Justice is suing California over allegations of noncitizen individuals being on voter rolls.

WHERE:

ABC News - California

WHEN:

ABC News - The warning comes ahead of next month’s midterm election.

WHY:

ABC News - Experts fear that the Trump administration's actions could damage public confidence in democracy by calling election outcomes into question.

ABC News - The Trump administration is escalating its fight with California regarding the integrity of voter rolls and the processing of ballots.

HOW:

ABC News - The DOJ's request for access to the password-protected thumb drive containing potential noncitizen names was characterized by California as "legally baseless and a last-ditch effort by the Trump administration to intervene in the state's election process."

ABC News - Local officials are being warned about the risks of criminal prosecution for processing ballots from suspected noncitizens.

(UPDATED October 17, 2026 11:56 UTC)

The Justice Department has issued letters to California officials, demanding a two-day deadline to confirm they are reviewing and segregating potential ballots from individuals identified as noncitizens. In a related lawsuit, Trump claims California has failed to remove noncitizens from its voter rolls, while Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin cautions that election officials could face fines, penalties, or even prison time. California has responded to the DOJ's request for access to a password-protected thumb drive with potential noncitizen names by labeling it "legally baseless and a last-ditch effort" by the Trump administration to interfere in the state's election process.

(UPDATED October 17, 2026 04:57 UTC)

Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter has issued a stark warning, stating that the legal consequences for facilitating or ignoring a federal crime are significant, particularly for election workers who could become "aiders and abettors" if they knowingly tabulate ballots from noncitizens. In response, Trump shared McCotter's letter on his social media platform, declaring that those involved "will all go to jail for a long period of time!!!" Meanwhile, California Secretary of State Shirley Weber has dismissed the Department of Justice's request for access to a thumb drive containing names of potential non-citizens as "legally baseless," raising concerns that such actions could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

(UPDATED October 17, 2026 02:06 UTC)

The Justice Department has issued a warning stating that election workers who knowingly process ballots from individuals identified as suspected noncitizens could face criminal prosecution. In a related lawsuit, the Department of Justice claims there are over 20,000 suspected noncitizen voters currently on California's voter rolls. This development raises significant concerns about the integrity of the voting process in the state.

(UPDATED October 16, 2026 23:58 UTC)

The Trump administration is warning California local officials that processing ballots from suspected noncitizen voters could lead to criminal investigations, escalating its fight over the integrity of voter rolls ahead of next month’s midterm election. In a related move, the Department of Justice is suing California over allegations that noncitizen individuals are on voter rolls. Local officials are being cautioned about the risks of criminal prosecution if they proceed with these ballots.