Bonta fights Trump's bid to set aside 20,000 California ballots as 'absurd'
California's attorney general challenges federal lawsuit seeking to segregate ballots allegedly mailed to noncitizens, two weeks before midterms.
Part of a larger narrative
Trump Administration Election Challenges
- UCLA analysis finds 42% of DOJ's noncitizen voter list doesn't match California rolls
- Supreme Court rejects Trump bid to block 20,000 California midterm ballots
- Trump DOJ issues grand jury subpoenas to California election officials
- Supreme Court declines to revive Biden-era deportation-pause rule
- Appeals Court Revives Trump DOJ's Power to Pressure Election Officials Before Midterms
What to know
- California's attorney general is blocking a Trump administration lawsuit seeking to set aside 20,000 ballots allegedly sent to noncitizens, calling it a political stunt with midterm elections two weeks away.
- The case tests whether the federal government has constitutional authority to pause state vote counts; the Trump administration has lost 26 similar lawsuits seeking voter roll access.
- Federal officials acknowledge their citizenship list may be inaccurate: 28 prosecuted cases represent 0.0001% of California's voters; in Nevada, DHS claimed 16,000 noncitizens but only 185 names checked out as citizens.
“The 20,000 possible noncitizen voters in California were enough to fill a small stadium, but he acknowledged that number could be an overcount.”
Trent McCotter, Acting Deputy U.S. Attorney General · CalMatters ↗ · Oct 19
Rob Bonta California Attorney GeneralTrent McCotter Acting Deputy U.S. Attorney General
Donald Trump President
How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts
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Bonta files motion calling lawsuit 'borders on the absurd'
California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a court response Tuesday in federal court in Los Angeles opposing the Trump administration's request for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction, characterizing the lawsuit as a political stunt that threatens to disenfranchise thousands of Californians.
“At best, this litigation is a reckless political stunt. At worst, it threatens to disenfranchise thousands of Californians this election.”
— Rob Bonta -
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🚨BREAKING: Attorney General Todd Blanche on Thursday said the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) might launch more California-style lawsuits to block states from counting ballots for the midterm election.
2 more of the top 3 · 6 posts in this stretch
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The Department of Justice (DOJ) is considering filing lawsuits against additional states before or after the midterms as part of its effort to force states to investigate alleged noncitizens on their voter rolls, according to an NBC News report.
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Last week, the Department of Justice sent a list of 20,000 suspected non-citizen voters to California and Los Angeles County, requesting that any ballots cast by these people be set aside until their citizenship was verified. https:// calmatters.org/politics/2026/1 0/trump-sues-california-voting/
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Trump administration sues California to segregate 20,000 ballots
Federal prosecutors announced charges against 28 California green card holders for allegedly voting or registering to vote, and asked a judge to issue a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to force California to segregate 20,000 ballots.
“There may be some names on there who it turns out ultimately are citizens. We're not perfect, and that's why we've asked California to cooperate with us.”
— Trent McCotter -
first by CalMatters, 18d ago · also The Davis Enterprise
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Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet
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4 outlets DOJ to press appeals court to order California to discard ballots from suspected noncitizens
first by Washington Times, 16d ago · also NYT Politics, The Hill, Philadelphia Inquirer
3 more headlines
- Trump Administration Asks Appeals Court to Intervene in California Mail Ballot Suit Mastodon · 16d ago
- DOJ asks appeals court to intervene for California mail-in ballot lawsuit The Hill · 16d ago
- Trump Administration Asks Appeals Court to Intervene in California Ballot Suit New York Times · 16d ago
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first by Bloomberg.com, 17d ago · also NBC News
1 more headline
- DOJ weighs election litigation against more states NBC News · 16d ago
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first by Bloomberg Politics, 19d ago · also Bloomberg
1 more headline
- California Says Non-Citizen Voting Suit Borders on ‘Absurd’ Bloomberg · 19d ago
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1 outlet Opinion | Trump's crackdown on immigrant voting in California is a ploy to influence election
first by CalMatters, 18d ago
1 more headline
- Trump’s crackdown on immigrant voting in California is a ploy to influence election CalMatters · 18d ago
and 4 smaller pieces
What people are saying 2 voices from 2 sites · best of 6 · verbatim
- Oct 25
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Impeachment is simple majority in House. Happened twice, didn't change anything. Conviction needs 2/3 of the house, not going to happen. And imprisonment? He controls the DOJ.
- Oct 22
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Opinion | Trump's crackdown on immigrant voting is a political ploy https:// calmatters.org/commentary/2026 /10/trump-crackdown-immigrant-voting-california/