# Trump DOJ Flags 20,000 California Voters as Likely Noncitizens

> Trump administration seeks court order to halt tabulation of 20,000 California mail ballots until citizenship verified.
- Title: Trump DOJ Flags 20,000 California Voters as Likely Noncitizens
- Summary: Trump administration seeks court order to halt tabulation of 20,000 California mail ballots until citizenship verified. Trump DOJ claims 20,000 California…
- Keywords: trump doj, california voters, noncitizen voting, mail ballots, federal court, citizenship verification, us citizenship and immigration services, homeland security investigations, shirley weber, los angeles county, election law, midterm elections
- Source: Newsweek — https://newsweek.com/trump-doj-california-voters-methodology-lawsuit-12576337
- Published: 2026-10-16T00:02:28+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: trump doj, california voters, noncitizen voting, mail ballots, federal court, citizenship verification, us citizenship and immigration services, homeland security investigations, shirley weber, los angeles county, election law, midterm elections
## DOJ Reveals Voter Flagging Method
The Department of Justice revealed federal investigators flagged more than 20,000 California voters they allege are likely noncitizens.
## Multistage Voter Verification Process
USCIS compares voter rolls with internal data to identify possible matches, using third-party software for incomplete information.
## High-Confidence Matches Process
High-confidence matches require multiple identifiers to confirm citizenship status through USCIS systems and state records.
## California Challenges Methodology
California officials dispute the federal list's accuracy, claiming it lacks detail to be of investigative use.
## 20,000 vs 190,000 Discrepancy
The federal government initially alleged 190,000 noncitizens on California rolls but now claims 20,000 likely noncitizens.
## DOJ Demands Voter Corrections
The DOJ asked California to segregate but not cancel ballots for 20,000 voters before tabulation.
## California Rejects DOJ Request
California officials refused to implement the requested process by the DOJ's deadline.
## DOJ Sues for Ballot Halt
The DOJ filed a lawsuit to prevent California from tabulating mail ballots of 20,000 likely noncitizens until citizenship verified.
## Legal Objections Raised
California claims the DOJ's request violates a federal court order from October 9 regarding voter roll comparisons.
## Election Law Expert Concerns
Election law professor Rick Hasen says the lawsuit likely faces legal hurdles due to federal authority limitations.
## Midterm Election Context
The Trump administration has made noncitizen voting a major focus ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
## California's Response
California Secretary of State Shirley Weber called the lawsuit a 'sad, desperate attempt' to suppress voters less than three weeks before Election Day.
## Ballot Counting Deadline
The deadline for California to act expired Thursday as voting was already underway ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
## Current Legal Status
The DOJ seeks a preliminary and permanent injunction to halt tabulation of 20,000 California mail ballots until citizenship verified.
## Key takeaway

Trump DOJ claims 20,000 California voters are likely noncitizens and wants court to stop counting their mail ballots until citizenship is confirmed.