Trump's Justice Department warns California election officials they risk prosecution if they process ballots of suspected noncitizens
First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli told county registrars that knowingly counting a noncitizen's ballot is a federal offence: 'We will hold election officials accountable.' Counties have 48 hours under the letters to determine which individuals on a federal list hold citizenship and to quarantine the rest. The Justice Department alleges ballots reached upwards of 20,000 people it believes are not citizens. The Ninth Circuit ordered California to respond by noon Saturday.
Contra Costa clerk Kristin B. Connelly: 'Voters need to vote and not be intimidated.'
Los Angeles County had already processed over 331,000 mail-in ballots before the dispute emerged.
Essayli insists 20,000 suspected noncitizen voters is only 'the floor'.
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