Supreme court rules against Trump over bid to force California to set aside ballots

The US Supreme Court recently ruled against the Trump administration’s attempt to force California election officials to segregate and exclude 20,000 ballots from individuals believed to be non-citizens. This decision comes after multiple lower courts sided with California officials, who argued that the federal government was interfering in state elections.

The dispute erupted after the Department of Justice (DoJ) claimed that 20,000 non-citizens were listed on California's voter rolls. In response, the DoJ delivered a USB drive containing the names in mid-October, giving election officials only 48 hours to review the list. The administration threatened to sue if the ballots were not sequestered until those individuals could verify their citizenship.

However, election officials refused to comply, leading to a series of legal battles. The DoJ's claims were met with skepticism from state officials and voting rights groups, who questioned the methodology behind the list and accused the Trump administration of attempting to undermine the midterm elections. The DoJ refused to provide details about its process and analysis, leading to further controversy.

Dean Logan, the Los Angeles county clerk and recorder, stated that the department had not provided the underlying evidence, source, or methodology supporting its assertions regarding ineligible voters. The conflict between the Trump administration and California officials intensified over the following weeks, with the administration threatening to prosecute election officials for processing ineligible non-citizen ballots—a move experts said had no legal basis.

Additionally, the DoJ initiated a criminal investigation into potential non-citizen voting and began subpoenaing election officials. Judge David Carter, a Clinton appointee, previously dismissed the administration's request to segregate ballots, arguing that such interference was unprecedented in American history. The administration's demands are part of a broader effort by the federal government to exert greater control over elections and claim that non-citizen voting fraud occurs frequently.

The DoJ has made similar demands in Washington state and filed criminal charges against 28 green card holders accused of fraudulent registration and voting. Trump has also offered a $1 million reward for tips leading to arrests or convictions related to voter fraud. Data and experts, however, have consistently shown that ineligible non-citizen voting is exceedingly rare.