Trump DOJ loses last-minute California ballot bid

A federal appeals court has rejected the Trump Justice Department's last-minute bid to exclude mail ballots from over 20,000 California voters, many of whom are suspected of being noncitizens. The 2-1 ruling leaves California's election procedures in place just days before the midterms. The judges highlighted doubts about the DOJ's voter list and warned of the risk of disenfranchising eligible voters.

This is a significant blow to the DOJ, which has been pushing unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud in California. The majority opinion cited the lower court's finding that the DOJ's method for identifying suspected noncitizens was "not credible," underscoring the administration's lack of a solid case. Granting the DOJ's request, the judges wrote, "would provoke catastrophic change, upending the administration of the election."

There is a significant risk that granting the United States its requested relief would result in disenfranchisement and jeopardize the entire election in Los Angeles County. This breaking news story is subject to updates.