DOJ Threatens California With Legal Action
The DOJ gave California 48 hours to check alleged noncitizen voters or face legal action.
10 left7 center6 right
Updated Oct 14, 7:45pm ETEvery side, every morning
A free recap of the day’s biggest stories and how each side covered them.
What happened
The Justice Department sent California Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Los Angeles County election chief Dean Logan letters demanding a review of a federal list of people it believes are noncitizens who received mail ballots. The department warned it would seek emergency court relief if California missed the deadline. California sends mail ballots to all registered voters, and ballots had already begun going out before the November 3 midterm election. The letters gave officials 48 hours to check citizenship, withhold unsent ballots and segregate returned ballots until confirmation. Los Angeles County said it had not opened the password-protected thumb drive because it considered the device insecure. What happens next remains unresolved.
How each side covered it
From the left
Left-leaning outlets cast the ultimatum as a sharp federal intervention into voting already underway, with the risk falling on eligible voters. CNN framed it as an escalation in pressure on state election officials during active ballot mailing. The Los Angeles Times focused on doubts about undisclosed lists, warning that flawed evidence could disenfranchise lawful voters.
From the right
Right-leaning outlets framed the demand as fast action against suspected illegal voting, stressing prevention before ballots are counted. The New York Post emphasized a short clock for California and a possible court fight if officials refused. RedState argued that prosecution comes too late once a ballot is counted, and linked urgency to California limits on federal fraud probes.
Headlines
Left10
HuffPost · Oct 14DOJ Issues Ultimatum To California: Review List Of Alleged Noncitizen Voters Or Else!
Los Angeles Times · Oct 14Justice Dept. demands California prove citizenship for lists of voters or withhold ballots
Boston Globe · Oct 14Justice Department threatens California with legal action over claim of noncitizens on voter rolls - The Boston Globe
PBS NewsHour · Oct 14Justice Department threatens California with legal action over claim of noncitizens on voter rolls
Democracy Now! · Oct 13Reuters: DOJ Gives California Officials 48 Hours to Review List of Alleged Noncitizen Voters
Center7
NBC News · Oct 14Justice Department threatens legal action against California over alleged noncitizen voters
Associated Press · Oct 14Justice Department threatens California with legal action over claim of noncitizens on voter rolls
CBS News · Oct 14Top U.S. DOJ official orders California to review list of possible noncitizens who received mail ballots
The Hill · Oct 14DOJ faces legal threats after pushing California to match voter list with USB drive
Axios · Oct 14DOJ gave California a voter list, a 48-hour deadline — and a threat of court action
Right6
New York Post · Oct 14Trump DOJ gives California 48-hour ultimatum over suspected noncitizen voters: report
Washington Examiner · Oct 14DOJ demands California review list of 'likely noncitizens' voting by mail
RedState · Oct 14DOJ Warns CA Against Counting Suspected Noncitizen Ballots, Sets 48-Hour Compliance Deadline
Just the News · Oct 13Justice Department demands California review list of suspected noncitizens who are on voter rolls
The Center Square · 22hFeds pressure California to purge noncitizens from voter rolls
Also today
All of today's stories →- 1DOJ Subpoenas Ilhan Omar’s RelativesMostly RightMostly Right73articles
- 2Balanced73articles
- 3Ukraine Starlink Access TightensBalancedBalanced71articles
- 4Balanced59articles
- 5Balanced52articles
- 6Katie Zacharia Faces CriticismMostly LeftMostly Left51articles