Judge Blocks DOJ From Pressuring Election Officials Over Noncitizen Voting Claims
A federal judge has halted the Department of Justice's efforts to compel local election officials to remove certain individuals from voter rolls, in a significant blow to the Trump administration's noncitizen voting claims.
A federal judge has blocked the Department of Justice (DOJ) from pressuring local election officials to remove specific individuals from voter lists, marking a significant setback for the Trump administration’s claims of noncitizen voting. This decision comes in response to a lawsuit filed by labor unions and other groups against the Trump administration, which sought to challenge the DOJ’s actions regarding voter eligibility.
The ruling, handed down by Judge Trina Thompson, mandates that the Trump administration cease its attempts to deny ballot requests to certain voters and halt the setting aside of ballots for individuals suspected of being ineligible to vote. It also requires the federal officials to stop threatening local election officials with criminal prosecution if they do not comply with the DOJ’s demands. This move effectively shields election workers from potential legal repercussions while the case is under review.
Federal officials had previously separated out mail ballots for approximately 20,000 people they believed were not U.S. citizens, a practice that was challenged in court. The judge found that these actions likely violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a landmark piece of civil rights legislation aimed at protecting the right to vote for all Americans. The temporary restraining order issued by Judge Thompson will remain in effect until November 16, providing crucial protection for both election officials and voters during the critical period leading up to the election.
The order also directs the Justice Department to inform the court of any pending search warrant applications or subpoenas related to the case. This ensures transparency and allows for further scrutiny of the DOJ’s actions. Additionally, a federal appeals court had previously denied the Trump administration’s request to force California to segregate ballots from noncitizens, reinforcing the lower court’s decision.
Another federal appeals court also rejected the Justice Department’s bid to block over 20,000 ballots from being counted due to claims of noncitizens on the voter rolls. These rulings collectively underscore the strength of the legal challenges faced by the Trump administration in its efforts to contest voter eligibility.
The judge’s order lasts until November 16, nearly two weeks after the election day, allowing ample time for the legal proceedings to unfold without disrupting the electoral process. The Justice Department had directed 57 of California’s 58 counties to cooperate with its investigation of illegal voting, and had requested nonpublic information such as Social Security numbers and state IDs for 1133 likely noncitizens registered to vote in San Bernardino County. However, the district court judge warned that the Justice Department’s demands could disenfranchise citizens, highlighting the potential impact on the broader electorate.
Millions of Californians had already cast their ballots in the midterm election prior to this ruling, with hundreds of thousands of ballots processed. Despite this, elections officials stated that processed votes cannot be traced back to individual voters, ensuring that the integrity of the election results remains intact. Bill Essayli, the top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, cautioned that election officials who process ballots from non-citizens face legal risks, emphasizing the ongoing importance of compliance with federal guidelines.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for November 13, providing an opportunity for further discussion and clarification of the legal issues at hand. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals panel includes judges Mark J Bennett (appointed by Trump) and Gabriel P Sanchez (appointed by Biden), adding another layer of complexity to the judicial landscape surrounding this case.
In summary, the judge’s decision to halt the DOJ’s pressure on election officials represents a significant victory for supporters of robust voter protections and a notable challenge to the Trump administration’s noncitizen voting claims. This ruling underscores the importance of the Voting Rights Act and highlights the ongoing legal battles over voter eligibility in the United States.
Verification report
Likely accurate — probability of truth 84%, weighted across 23 claims from 6 independent outlets. Since the first report: 75% → 84%, outlets 3 → 6.
- confirmed A judge has stopped the Department of Justice from pressuring election officials. (97%)
- confirmed The decision requires the Trump administration to stop its attempts to make election workers remove specific individuals from voter lists. (97%)
- confirmed The ruling mandates that the Trump administration cease efforts to deny ballot requests to certain voters. (97%)
- confirmed The judge's order instructs the Trump administration to halt setting aside ballots for individuals suspected of being ineligible to vote. (97%)
- confirmed Federal officials threatened local election officials with criminal prosecution if they did not comply. (97%)
- confirmed The Justice Department had to separate out mail ballots for approximately 20,000 people it believed were not U.S. citizens. (93%)
- confirmed Judge Trina Thompson found federal officials likely violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965. (93%)
- confirmed The judge issued a temporary restraining order that expires on November 16. (93%)
- confirmed The order came in response to a lawsuit filed by labor unions and other groups against the Trump administration. (85%)
- confirmed The judge ordered the Justice Department to inform the court of any pending search warrant applications or subpoenas. (85%)
- confirmed A federal appeals court denied the Trump administration's request to force California to segregate ballots from noncitizens. (85%)
- confirmed Another federal appeals court denied the Justice Department's bid to block over 20,000 ballots from being counted due to claims of noncitizens on the voter rolls. (85%)
- likely The order lasts until November 16, 2026, nearly two weeks after the election day. (71%)
- likely The Justice Department directed 57 of California's 58 counties to cooperate with its investigation of illegal voting. (71%)
- likely The Justice Department asked election officials to provide nonpublic information such as Social Security numbers and state IDs for 1133 likely noncitizens registered to vote in San Bernardino County. (71%)
- likely The Justice Department requested to segregate ballots of individuals whose citizenship status could not be confirmed. (71%)
- likely The district court judge warned that the Justice Department's demands could disenfranchise citizens. (71%)
- likely Over 20,000 people in California may have received ballots they were not eligible to receive according to the Department of Justice. (71%)
- likely Millions of Californians had already voted in the midterm election before this ruling, with hundreds of thousands of ballots processed. (71%)
- likely Elections officials stated that processed votes cannot be traced back to individual voters. (71%)
- likely Bill Essayli, the top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, warned that election officials who process ballots from non-citizens face legal risks. (71%)
- likely The next hearing is scheduled for November 13. (71%)
- likely The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals panel included judges Mark J Bennett (appointed by Trump) and Gabriel P Sanchez (appointed by Biden). (71%)
Sources
- WKBN.com (Ohio) — Judge blocks DOJ from threatening election officials over noncitizen voting claims
https://www.wkbn.com/news/national-world/judge-blocks-doj-from-threatening-election-officials-over-noncitizen-voting-claims/ - CBS Politics — Judge orders DOJ to stop trying to "intimidate" California election officials
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/judge-orders-doj-stop-threaten-intimidate-california-election-officials/ - NBC News — Judge orders Trump administration to stop threatening election officials with criminal charges
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/judge-orders-trump-administration-stop-threatening-election-officials-rcna606659 - Axios — Judge blocks DOJ from threatening election workers before midterms
https://www.axios.com/2026/10/31/doj-threats-election-workers-midterms - The Guardian US — Federal judge bars DoJ from threatening election workers to stop processing ballots
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/30/justice-department-election-workers-ballots - The Hill Home — Judge blocks DOJ from threatening election officials over noncitizen voting claims
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/6185891-judge-stops-trump-election-threats/