Trump's DOJ gives California a 48-hour ultimatum to purge suspected noncitizen voters or face legal action

The Justice Department has given California officials 48 hours to go through a federal roster of suspected noncitizen voters or face emergency court proceedings — an extraordinary pre-election intervention just weeks before the November 3 vote. Acting Deputy Attorney General R. Trent McCotter addressed the ultimatum to California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, demanding that ballots already sent to individuals on the roster be set aside and excluded from the count until their citizenship can be verified. The letter cautions that federal authorities "will have no choice but to seek emergency relief" should the state fail to act.

Federal officials delivered a password-protected thumb drive to Los Angeles County administrators, identifying individuals the DOJ suspects are noncitizens who received mail-in ballots.

McCotter wrote bluntly that "allowing noncitizens to vote cancels citizen votes" as Republicans defend narrow congressional majorities.

California has not yet publicly responded, but the move marks the sharpest federal challenge to state election administration in the run-up to November 3.