LA County Finds Many on DOJ Voter List Were Us-born
WHO:
CNN - Federal Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín issued an order limiting Department of Homeland Security investigations of suspected noncitizen voters.
CNN - Beau Tremitiere, an attorney for Protect Democracy, said the order prohibits operations targeting known naturalized citizens.
NPR - Los Angeles County election officials said the U.S. Department of Justice’s list identifies 20,000 people as “likely” noncitizens registered to vote.
NPR - California state and local officials discussed the list in court filings responding to a federal lawsuit.
ABC News - Los Angeles officials said a “high percentage” of people on the DOJ’s list say they were born in the United States.
WHAT:
CNN - The order bars DHS from conducting field actions, including interviews, when the agency believes a targeted person could be a U.S. citizen.
CNN - Martínez-Olguín wrote that DHS data alleging hundreds of thousands of possible illegal voters is “widely known to inadvertently include U.S. citizens.”
CNN - The order covers California, Connecticut, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin, and is set to last until after the midterm elections.
CNN - Voting-rights and advocacy groups sued, arguing DHS actions had made U.S. citizens afraid to vote.
NPR - Los Angeles County officials described the DOJ’s list as “unreliable,” based on their preliminary analysis.
NPR - Officials said some people on the list indicated they were U.S.-born and may be citizens.
NPR - The DOJ asked California to investigate thousands of voters before their ballots are counted and to segregate ballots associated with the listed individuals.
NPR - California officials said the DOJ’s request was unfeasible so close to the election and could violate federal and state election laws.
ABC News - The article also reported that California’s DOJ list concerns people alleged to be noncitizens registered to vote.
WHERE:
NPR - The dispute concerns California, including Los Angeles County.
ABC News - The list concerns alleged noncitizen voters in California.
WHY:
NPR - The federal lawsuit seeks to compel California to investigate thousands of voters before their ballots are counted.
HOW:
NPR - Los Angeles County officials assessed the DOJ list through a preliminary analysis; state and local officials provided their findings in court filings.
NPR - The DOJ’s requested process would involve investigating listed voters and segregating ballots associated with them.
(UPDATED October 22, 2026 03:10 UTC)
A federal judge has limited Department of Homeland Security investigations of suspected noncitizen voters, barring field actions such as interviews when officials believe a targeted person could be a U.S. citizen. The order applies in nine states and is set to remain in place until after the midterm elections. Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín said DHS data about possible illegal voters is known to include U.S. citizens inadvertently. Voting-rights groups sued, arguing the investigations had made citizens afraid to vote. Separately, Los Angeles County officials say a Justice Department list names 20,000 people as likely noncitizens registered to vote, but their preliminary review found it unreliable. Officials say many people on the list claim they were born in the United States. The Justice Department wants California to investigate listed voters before counting ballots and set those ballots aside; state officials say that is unfeasible and could break election laws.
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(UPDATED October 21, 2026 22:30 UTC)
Los Angeles County election officials say a preliminary review found the Justice Department’s list of 20,000 people considered likely noncitizens registered to vote is unreliable. Officials also say a high percentage of people on the list report being born in the United States, meaning they may be citizens. California state and local officials described their findings in court filings responding to a federal lawsuit. The Justice Department is asking California to investigate thousands of voters before their ballots are counted and to set aside ballots linked to people on the list. California officials say that process is unworkable so close to the election and could violate federal and state election laws. The lawsuit seeks to force the state to investigate the voters, but Los Angeles County’s preliminary analysis raises questions about the list’s accuracy.