By Salma El-Sakka
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday swiftly rejected an emergency request from the Trump administration to set aside up to 20,000 mail-in ballots in California that officials alleged could have been cast by noncitizens. The court issued a brief order without explanation, turning away the administration's last-minute legal challenge just hours after it was filed.
Lower Courts Also Ruled Against Administration
Lower courts had previously ruled against the Trump administration. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found no evidence that Congress intended the federal law barring noncitizen voting to preempt state election laws. A federal judge also ordered the Justice Department to stop threatening prosecution of California election officials over the issue.
California Officials Dispute Federal Claims
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat, said the decision should end the administration's attempt to disrupt the state's elections through emergency court orders. State officials have resisted the Justice Department's intervention, noting that noncitizen voting is already illegal under state law and expressing skepticism about the accuracy of the federal government's information.
Administration's Broader Efforts Face Setbacks
The Trump administration has long claimed, without evidence, that millions of noncitizens illegally vote in U.S. elections, though experts say such cases are rare. Previous efforts to pressure states to verify citizenship have faced setbacks, including in Nevada where the state determined that 185 individuals flagged as noncitizens were actually citizens. Election law expert Travis Crum said the Supreme Court's quick rejection signals displeasure with the underlying claims and reinforces precedent against federal court intervention in ongoing elections.
