U.S. District Judge Trina Thompson issued an order Friday night blocking the Trump administration from threatening or intimidating election officials ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. The ruling prohibits federal actions that coerce state or local workers to stop processing ballots based solely on administration allegations that a voter is ineligible.
Did You Know? The Justice Department sent letters to election officials in 57 of California’s 58 counties last week, directing them to cooperate with illegal voting investigations or face investigations themselves.
Judge Thompson blocks federal pressure on election workers
Judge Thompson, based in California, stated that high-ranking DOJ and DHS officials engaged in a campaign to intimidate and coerce employees administering the ongoing midterm 2026 election. The eight-page order remains in effect through Nov. 16.
The court found that while the administration claims its actions halt unlawful noncitizen voting, they are likely to interfere with election administration and disenfranchise lawful voters. The order specifically forbids demanding the halt of ballot processing for individuals alleged by the administration to be ineligible.
Justice Department demands voter data and ballot segregation
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bilal Essayli sent a letter to San Bernardino County officials on Oct. 22 including a list of 1,133 “likely aliens” registered to vote. Essayli demanded a commitment within 48 hours to identify the citizenship status of those individuals by providing nonpublic information, including Social Security numbers and driver’s licenses.
The DOJ requested that officials segregate, rather than cancel, vote-by-mail ballots for those whose citizenship could not be confirmed. Essayli noted that the list was created using a “multilayered, multiagency investigative methodology” by the DHS and warned that legal consequences for ignoring federal crimes are significant.
Federal subpoenas continue despite court warnings
Despite a Wednesday order warning prosecutors to stop threatening officials, CalMatters reports that at least four California election workers received federal criminal grand jury subpoenas over the past week. One subpoena was delivered to the Orange County Registrar of Voters’ office on Thursday, seeking unredacted records for 60 people.
In Los Angeles County, federal prosecutors subpoenaed three Registrar-Recorder’s Office employees to testify before a grand jury on Nov. 4, the day after the election. Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan described the federal approach as “confrontational” and “adversarial.”
Courts reject efforts to block thousands of ballots
A federal appeals court rejected the administration’s request Friday to force California officials to segregate ballots. This followed a Monday ruling where an appeals court denied a DOJ bid to block more than 20,000 ballots from being counted due to noncitizen claims.
A federal judge argued Wednesday that the DOJ’s requests violate constitutional principles regarding state control of elections. While most California counties have challenged the legality of the requests, officials in San Luis Obispo have announced they will investigate the voters identified in the DOJ letters.
Potential conflicts following Nov. 3 elections
The current legal trajectory could lead to a showdown over election fundamentals as the Nov. 3 midterms approach.
Which California counties responded to DOJ letters?
Which California counties responded to the DOJ letters?
The Justice Department sent letters to 57 of California’s 58 counties. So far, only San Luis Obispo has announced it will investigate the voters listed in those demand letters.
What specific information did the DOJ request from San Bernardino County?
The DOJ requested nonpublic registration information for 1,133 suspected noncitizens, specifically asking for Social Security numbers, state IDs, or driver’s licenses.
When are the Los Angeles County employees required to testify?
Three employees of the Registrar-Recorder’s Office were subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury in a criminal investigation on Nov. 4, which is the day after the election.