Federal Charges Against 28 Californians Spark Legal and Political Clash Over Voter Data
The U.S. Department of Justice has charged 28 lawful permanent residents in California with federal crimes related to voter registration and voting, marking a significant escalation in the Trump administration's efforts to challenge noncitizen voting ahead of the November 3 midterms. While the DOJ asserts these cases prove widespread fraud, critics and election experts argue the incidents are rare and that the federal government's data is flawed, potentially disenfranchising legitimate citizens. The charges come days after the DOJ sued California to block the counting of ballots for approximately 20,000 individuals flagged as potential noncitizens, a move state officials have condemned as legally baseless and politically motivated.