DOJ Charges Green Card Holders Amid Voting System Dispute in California

The Department of Justice has charged 28 green card holders in California for allegedly registering to vote or voting illegally. This marks an escalation in the ongoing conflict between the DOJ and California officials over the state’s voting system.

The DOJ has filed an emergency request in federal court to prevent California from processing ballots from individuals they claim are likely noncitizens. California has requested detailed information on how these conclusions were reached but has not received a response.

Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter stated, “This Department of Justice will not look the other way while noncitizens vote in federal elections.” This reflects the Trump administration’s focus on combating ineligible voting.

The DOJ has been increasing its charges against noncitizens during early voting periods. On Monday, they charged green card holders, some registered over 20 years ago, with election-related crimes. Most of these individuals allegedly made false statements in naturalization applications.

Previously, mistakes like a software glitch in New Jersey registered noncitizens to vote. However, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli downplayed the possibility of errors, emphasizing deliberate actions when registering to vote.

Since early August, the DOJ has charged 113 noncitizens in 20 states with similar crimes. Despite this, UCLA election law expert Rick Hasen pointed out the small scale of these cases compared to over 20 million registered voters in California.

Recent polling indicates some Americans fear immigration enforcement at polling places, with non-white citizens apprehensive about being questioned. Los Angeles County’s Dean Logan encouraged voters to focus on participating in elections despite the ongoing litigations.

California’s refusal to segregate ballots from the DOJ’s list of 20,000 likely noncitizens has been contentious. Secretary of State Shirley Weber argued compliance with DOJ demands would be unlawful. Citing federal laws, state officials insisted the demands risk disenfranchising voters without due process.

The methodology behind the DOJ’s identification of 20,000 noncitizens has been questioned. A July letter from the Department of Homeland Security suggested 190,000 potential noncitizens, though the DOJ later narrowed this figure.

The DOJ’s request for data from California, including Social Security and driver’s license numbers, has been denied by 26 federal judges nationwide. The DOJ argued that without setting aside these ballots, correcting illegal votes may be impossible.

Various voting and civil rights organizations have filed to intervene, arguing the DOJ’s demands are unlawful. Experts believe the lawsuit may aim more at political messaging than actual legal success, as states are constitutionally responsible for managing elections.