DOJ gives California 48 hours to review alleged noncitizen voter list or face legal action
The Justice Department told California's Secretary of State to review a list of alleged noncitizen voters within 48 hours and withhold or segregate their ballots, or face emergency legal action ahead of the November 3 election. Outlets across the spectrum relay Reuters' reporting on the letter.
Updated (version 2). New coverage since the last version from Just the News, The Times of India.
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The story, neutrally told
Left · 2The US Department of Justice has given California authorities 48 hours to review a list of alleged noncitizen voters or face legal action, according to a letter reviewed by Reuters. The IndependentLC “The Department of Justice has given California authorities 48 hours to review a list of alleged noncitizen voters or face legal action, according to a letter Reuters reviewed” Read at The Independent ↗ Raw StoryL “the Justice Department sent California a “password-protected thumb drive” and a 48-hour demand regarding the midterms, Reuters reported Tuesday night” Read at Raw Story ↗ Left · 1The letter, written by acting Deputy Attorney General R. Trent McCotter and addressed to California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, says federal officials gave Los Angeles County administrators a password-protected thumb drive with the names of people the government "believes are likely noncitizens" who were issued mail-in ballots. The IndependentLC “authored by acting Deputy Attorney General R. Trent McCotter and sent to California Secretary of State Shirley Weber”“names of individuals the government "believes are likely noncitizens" who were issued mail-in ballots” Read at The Independent ↗ Mixed · 2The letter was sent on Tuesday, 13 October, according to Just the News and The Times of India, which, like the other outlets, relay Reuters' reporting. Just the NewsRC “In a letter sent Tuesday by acting Deputy Attorney General R. Trent McCotter and addressed to California Secretary of State Shirley Weber” Read at Just the News ↗ The Times of IndiaN “Acting Deputy Attorney General R. Trent McCotter sent the letter to California Secretary of State Shirley Weber on Tuesday.” Read at The Times of India ↗
Left · 2It directs the state to withhold ballots from those named until their citizenship is verified, to have ballots from flagged voters who already received them "segregated" once returned, and not to count submitted ballots "until citizenship has been determined". The IndependentLC “ballots already submitted should not be counted “until citizenship has been determined,” the letter dictates.” Read at The Independent ↗ Raw StoryL “The named individuals should have their ballots “segregated,”” Read at Raw Story ↗ Left · 1The letter warns that federal authorities "will have no choice but to seek emergency relief" if the state does not comply, and McCotter wrote that "Allowing noncitizens to vote cancels citizen votes." The IndependentLC “"will have no choice but to seek emergency relief," the letter warns”“"Allowing noncitizens to vote cancels citizen votes," McCotter wrote” Read at The Independent ↗ Left · 1Justice Department spokeswoman Kiersten Pels confirmed the letter and said the department "will take all necessary legal action to protect election integrity and ensure compliance with federal law." The White House and the California secretary of state's office had not responded to requests for comment when Reuters reported. The IndependentLC “"The department will take all necessary legal action to protect election integrity and ensure compliance with federal law."”“Spokespersons for the White House and the California secretary of state's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.” Read at The Independent ↗
Left · 1The letter says Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told California officials on July 16 that federal authorities believed noncitizens were on the state's voter rolls. The IndependentLC “Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin informed California officials on July 16 that federal authorities believed noncitizens were present on the state's voting rolls, according to the letter.” Read at The Independent ↗ Left · 1The move is part of a wider push: in July the department sent letters to chief election officials in all 50 states warning of possible prosecution, its Civil Rights Division has sought nonpublic voter data from nearly every state, and it has sued 30 states that refused, losing 26 of those cases. Prosecutors also announced 16 new criminal cases against noncitizens on Monday. The IndependentLC “It has filed lawsuits against 30 states led by both Democrats and Republicans that refused to release their rolls, losing 26 of those cases.”“announcing 16 new criminal cases on Monday” Read at The Independent ↗ Left · 2The Justice Department has repeatedly said noncitizen voting is widespread, though studies show it is rare. A Reuters review in September found software glitches and clerical errors may have added more than 30,000 noncitizens to state rolls since 2000, but it was unclear how many voted, against about 170 million registered voters nationally; Raw Story also cited an American Immigration Council analysis of Heritage Foundation data calling such cases "exceedingly rare". The IndependentLC “despite numerous studies demonstrating that the practice is rare”“more than 30,000 noncitizens to state voter rolls since 2000” Read at The Independent ↗ Raw StoryL ““Even in Heritage’s own data, cases of noncitizen voting are exceedingly rare.”” Read at Raw Story ↗
Left · 1California could be pivotal in deciding control of the US House, after voters approved a new congressional map favouring Democrats in response to Republican-led redistricting elsewhere; Republicans are defending narrow majorities in the November 3 election. Los Angeles voters will also decide a local measure letting some noncitizen legal residents vote in municipal elections. The IndependentLC “state voters approved a new congressional map favoring Democrats amid a nationwide redistricting push initiated in Republican-led states”“a local ballot measure that would permit certain noncitizen legal residents to vote in municipal elections” Read at The Independent ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left2 outlets
- Framing
- The Independent and Raw Story relay Reuters reporting on the letter as an unprecedented escalation by the Trump administration before the election, setting it against evidence that noncitizen voting is rare.
- Emphasis
- The 48-hour ultimatum, the order to withhold and segregate ballots, the administration's wider pressure on states, and the rarity of noncitizen voting.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither includes a response from California officials or the White House; Raw Story omits the DOJ's litigation record against states and its spokeswoman's quoted statement.
- Charged language
- “explosive pre-election showdown”“unprecedented”“escalation”
- For example
-
“Trump’s DOJ threatens to block California votes in explosive pre-election showdown” — The Independent
“In what marked an “unprecedented” and major “escalation” in the Trump administration’s campaign” — Raw Story
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- The Times of India gives a short, straightforward wire-style account of the letter and the DOJ's threat of emergency legal action, with brief context on the wider federal push.
- Emphasis
- The directive on withholding and segregating ballots, McCotter's and spokeswoman Pels' quoted statements, the July letters to all 50 states and Reuters' finding of 30,000 noncitizens added to rolls.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the DOJ's lost lawsuits against states, the rarity of noncitizen voting, or the House stakes in California.
- For example
-
“The demand comes as the Trump administration increases pressure on states over allegations that non-US citizens are voting in US elections.” — The Times of India
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Just the News presents the letter as a DOJ demand that California review a list of suspected noncitizens on its rolls, with little added context.
- Emphasis
- The 48-hour deadline, the thumb drive given to Los Angeles County and the ballot-segregation instructions.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Omits the rarity of noncitizen voting, the DOJ's litigation record, the DOJ spokeswoman's statement and the political context.
- Charged language
- “suspected noncitizens”
- For example
-
“The Justice Department is demanding California election officials review a list of registered voters who are suspected to be noncitizens, and threatening to sue if California doesn't comply.” — Just the News
What every side reports
- DOJ gave California 48 hours to review a list of alleged noncitizen voters or face legal action, per a letter Reuters reviewed.
- The letter went to Secretary of State Shirley Weber and demands ballots from named people be withheld or segregated until citizenship is determined.
- DOJ spokeswoman Kiersten Pels confirmed the letter.
- Noncitizen voting is rare according to experts and studies cited.
Where accounts differ
-
How common noncitizen voting is
- Left
- Both outlets say studies and experts find it rare, contrasting this with the Justice Department's assertions that it is widespread; the DOJ's own position is given only through its spokeswoman's statement on legal action.
-
The DOJ letter directs California to withhold ballots from listed alleged noncitizens until citizenship is verified and to segregate and not count their returned ballots.
Reported- Reports 4
- Raw Story, The Independent, The Times of India, Just the News
-
The DOJ threatens emergency legal action if California does not comply within 48 hours.
Reported- Reports 4
- Raw Story, The Independent, The Times of India, Just the News
-
Noncitizen voting is rare, contrary to DOJ assertions that it is widespread.
Supported- Supports 2
- Raw Story, The Independent
- Reports 1
- The Times of India
Department of Justice organisation
Through spokeswoman Kiersten Pels and the McCotter letter, the DOJ says it will take legal action to protect election integrity and that noncitizen voting cancels citizen votes.
““Allowing noncitizens to vote cancels citizen votes,” McCotter wrote.” — The Times of India
California place
California's secretary of state's office had not responded to requests for comment; the state has clashed with the administration over voting procedures.
“Spokespersons for the White House and the California secretary of state's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.” — The Independent
Left2 articles
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Trump’s DOJ threatens to block California votes in explosive pre-election showdown
Critical Reuters-reported account framing the letter as a dramatic pre-election confrontation, with context on rare noncitizen voting and DOJ's courtroom losses.
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DOJ threatens California with 48-hour demand in 'unprecedented' midterm move: Reuters
Critical Summarises Reuters as an unprecedented escalation and stresses expert findings that noncitizen voting is rare.
Centre1 article
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Neutral Concise account of the letter and DOJ statement, with background on wider federal action on voter rolls.
Right1 article
-
Justice Department demands California review list of suspected noncitizens who are on voter rolls
Neutral Short factual relay of the letter's demands from Reuters, framed as a DOJ demand to review suspected noncitizen registrants.
- 14 Oct 10:10 First The IndependentLC Trump’s DOJ threatens to block California votes in explosive pre-election showdown
- 14 Oct 11:36 +1h 26m Raw StoryL DOJ threatens California with 48-hour demand in 'unprecedented' midterm move: Reuters
- 14 Oct 12:28 +2h 18m Just the NewsRC Justice Department demands California review list of suspected noncitizens who are on voter rolls
- 14 Oct 12:37 +2h 27m The Times of IndiaN US Justice Department gives California 48 hours to review list of 'noncitizen voters', threatens legal action
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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