With less than two weeks remaining before the midterm elections, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued a directive to California election officials, demanding they verify the eligibility of roughly 20,000 individuals suspected of being noncitizens. The federal request mandates that this verification process be completed within a 48-hour window.

California state leaders have formally rebuked the administration’s push, characterizing the timeline as unrealistic and potentially harmful to the democratic process. Election personnel in Los Angeles have reported that preliminary reviews of the provided list suggest a significant portion of the individuals flagged are, in fact, U.S.-born citizens. Officials warn that the pressure to process these names under such a tight deadline could lead to the erroneous removal of eligible voters from the rolls, effectively disenfranchising them.

While the DOJ frames the request as a necessary step to prevent noncitizen voting, California officials argue the move is politically motivated. The disagreement centers on the validity of the federal list and the feasibility of the state’s response. State authorities have expressed concern that the administration is attempting to create a narrative of widespread voter fraud, whereas local election offices maintain that their existing verification systems are already sufficient to handle citizenship requirements.