![[aggregator] downloaded image for imported item #138018](https://newsview.top/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/gavin-newsom-speech-1024x576.jpg "California must respond to DOJ's emergency request over ballots mailed to alleged noncitizens, court rules")
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A federal appeals court orderedCaliforniato respond by noon Saturday to the Trump administration’s emergency request involving roughly 20,000 mail-in ballots sent to people the Justice Department suspects are noncitizens ahead of the midterm elections.
The U.S.Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued the order late Friday after the DOJ filed an emergency request earlier in the day seeking a ruling by Saturday.
The Justice Department sought emergency relief from the appeals court after U.S.District Judge David Carter did not rule by a deadline previously requested by the department.
The DOJ is asking California election officials to set aside ballots associated with individuals on its list while their eligibility is reviewed, rather than allowing the ballots to be processed alongside other votes.
DOJ GIVES CALIFORNIA 48 HOURS TO REVIEW LIST OF POSSIBLE NONCITIZENS ON VOTER ROLLS
California Gov.Gavin Newsom speaks about the “Election Rigging Response Act” at a press conference at the Democracy Center, Japanese American National Museum on August 14, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
In its emergency filing, the DOJ emphasized the urgency of its request.
“This is an emergency,” the filing, submitted by Attorney GeneralTodd Blancheand First Assistant U.S.Attorney Bill Essayli, stated.
“Every minute of processing that occurs without segregating the ballots of suspected non-eligible voters causes untraceable disenfranchisement and dilution of the votes of United States citizens,” the filing continued.
Despite the Ninth Circuit’ Matt Finn.It remains unclear whether the appeals court will rule before that hearing.
BLANCHE WON’T RULE OUT DOJ BLOCKING ELECTION CERTIFICATION IN ‘DOOMSDAY’ SCENARIO
Bill Essayli, the first assistant U.S.attorney for the Central District of California, appears at a news conference at the Spring Street Courthouse on Aug.13, 2026.(Allen J.Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
com/politics/doj-verified-20000-noncitizens-california-voter-rolls-federal-prosecutor-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">20,000 individuals received mail-in ballotsin October.
His officesued California last weekseeking a court order to prevent ballots returned by those individuals from being counted.
“We’re not asking California to take any drastic steps other than to sequester the ballots from the suspected noncitizens,” Essayli said in an interview Wednesday.“We believe it’s at a minimum of 20,000.That’s the floor.”
Essayli alsoclashed with California Gov.Gavin Newsomon social media this week over the state’s safeguards against noncitizen voting.
Essayli accused California of allowing noncitizens onto its voter rolls because of what he described asinadequate citizenship verification procedures, while Newsom defended the integrity of the state’s elections and maintained that California was following the law.
‘RAW MATERIAL FOR ELECTION FRAUD’: EXPERT FLAGS VOTER-ROLL PROBLEMS FAR BEYOND ONE STATE
In this photo, an official vote by mail ballot, mailed to a Southern California resident ahead of the general election is seen on Oct.17, 2026, in Los Angeles, California.(Jay L Clendenin/Getty Images)
California election officials have rejected the Justice Department’s demands.
In court filings, they argued that county election offices lack both the authority and access to federal records needed to verify voters’ citizenship status.
They also said separating ballots associated with people on the DOJ’s list would be impossible in cases where the ballots have already been processed.
California officials say that once a mail-in ballot’s signature has been verified, the ballot is separated from its identifying envelope and processed with other ballots.
onelink.me/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.
According to court records, officials have already processed 331,000 ballots in Los Angeles County alone.
Friday’s escalation comes after Essayli’s office initially filed the suit Oct.15, roughly two weeks after California began mailing ballots.
�s James Cirrone contributed to this report.
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