9th Circuit Judges Scrutinize DOJ Request to Halt 20,000 California Ballots
Federal appeals judges questioned the Justice Department’s bid to block counting of about 20,000 California ballots flagged as possibly cast by non-citizens. No ruling yet.
In a rare Sunday hearing, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals examined the Justice Department’s urgent motion to prevent California Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Los Angeles County Registrar Dean Logan from tallying about 20,000 ballots that the Trump administration claims may have been cast by non-citizens. Judges Mark J. Bennett, Patrick J. Bumatay and Gabriel P. Sanchez questioned the constitutional basis of the request, citing the Elections Clause that grants states authority over election procedures and noting the lack of a lower-court ruling.
They also raised doubts about the court’s jurisdiction and the reliability of the federal list used to identify the voters. California’s representatives, including Deputy Solicitor General Samuel P. Siegel, argued the demand is illegal, impossible to implement before the Nov. 3 election, and based on flawed data. The panel did not issue an injunction, indicating a decision will come soon.
Why it matters
The case could decide if the federal government may intervene in state elections weeks before a major vote.
How this story developed
- Aug 13 San Antonio immigrants live in constant fear as ICE arrests surge
- Oct 10 Protests spread to Manhattan and lower Manhattan, drawing thousands of demonstrators.
- Oct 10 An off‑duty ICE agent was shot after allegedly assaulting a homeowner and his father in Fresno.
- Oct 11 During a targeted ICE operation in Harris County, a deported Mexican illegal alien fled, causing a foot chase that led to a vehicle striking another undocumented man, who was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
- Oct 12 Homeland Security Investigations agents raided Rep. Ilhan Omar’s residence in Washington, D.C., early Monday as part of a DOJ-led fraud investigation into her immigration filings.
- Oct 12 Federal agents executed a pre‑dawn search of Omar’s D.C. home.
- Oct 14 Democracy Defenders Fund submitted a Hatch Act complaint alleging the raid violated election‑interference rules.
- Oct 14 The Justice Department gave California election officials two days to review a list of voters it believes may be non-citizens and warned it will sue if the state does not comply.
- Oct 14 Subpoenas were served on several of Omar’s relatives.
- Oct 16 Rep. Delia Ramirez introduced legislation to dismantle the Department of Homeland Security.
- Oct 19 District Attorney Sean Teare is assembling evidence for a possible grand‑jury hearing.
- Oct 22 California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a petition to block the DOJ’s request to set aside the flagged ballots.
- Oct 23 Interactive quizzes have been launched to explain the 14 ballot measures ahead of the November election.
- Oct 24 A federal appeals panel set a Saturday deadline for California to respond to the DOJ’s emergency filing.
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