--- title: "US Justice Department Defends Claims of Noncitizens Registered to Vote in California" url: https://newscentral.site/us-justice-department-defends-claims-of-noncitizens-registered/ language: en publisher: "News Central Site" section: "Politics" published: 2026-11-01T23:30:27.000Z updated: 2026-11-02T01:43:33.666Z id: 5e50a0b3-91a6-4750-9b58-e13e86f5b564 source: "ABC News Politics https://abcnews.com/Politics/wireStory/justice-department-urges-sanctions-database-analysis-critical-noncitizen-137757434" attribution: "Link to https://newscentral.site/us-justice-department-defends-claims-of-noncitizens-registered/ and name News Central Site when you quote or summarize this story." --- # US Justice Department Defends Claims of Noncitizens Registered to Vote in California A federal judge allowed an immigrant rights group access to a dataset on suspected noncitizen voters, but ordered them not to disclose names or use it for anything other than court arguments. The US Justice Department has taken a defensive stance over its claims of noncitizens registered to vote in California, urging a federal judge to consider holding an immigrant rights group in contempt of court for releasing analysis on the issue. A dataset compiled by the Trump administration reportedly identifies more than 20,000 suspected noncitizens who have allegedly registered to vote in California. The Justice Department has maintained that this list is accurate, despite criticism from various quarters. In a recent development, US District Court Chief Judge James Boasberg allowed access to the dataset for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), an immigrant rights group based in Los Angeles. However, Boasberg strictly ordered CHIRLA not to disclose any names on the list and use the data solely for their arguments against the Trump administration's use of it. CHIRLA attorneys have since filed court papers revealing that their analysis found a significant discrepancy in the dataset. According to their findings, more than 40% of individuals listed do not appear in California's voter file, raising questions about the accuracy of the Justice Department's claims. The CHIRLA analysis also identified at least 22 people on the list who are likely naturalized US citizens, while thousands of other US citizens may have been incorrectly included. The Justice Department has yet to respond directly to these findings, but it is clear that the controversy surrounding this issue is far from resolved. The Justice Department claims that the data analysis by an immigrant rights group contravened a court order because it had nothing to do with the legal standing of the plaintiffs in the case. According to the filing, the report's focus on alleged inaccuracies and comparisons between government lists and voter rolls was irrelevant to determining whether the specific plaintiffs in the case had standing. This criticism suggests that the analysis was driven by "political grandstanding" rather than a genuine concern for accuracy. The Justice Department has also suggested that Judge Boasberg refer the matter to the department for investigation, potentially leading to charges of criminal contempt of court. This move is seen as an attempt to intimidate and silence critics of its policies on noncitizen voting claims. Alberto Lammers, a spokesperson for the University of California, Los Angeles' Voting Rights Project, which conducted the data analysis, has denied any wrongdoing, stating that plaintiffs' counsel and experts fully complied with court orders. The Trump administration's efforts to identify alleged noncitizen voters have been met with resistance in California, where a federal judge rejected its demand for election officials to separate ballots cast by those voters. This decision was upheld by two appellate judges, who agreed that the last-minute order could cause significant disruptions to the state's electoral process. The ruling has implications beyond California, as it underscores the challenges faced by the administration in its efforts to verify citizenship status of registered voters. California election officials have expressed concerns about the accuracy of the list provided by the Trump administration, citing errors and a lack of resources to conduct the necessary investigations to remove ineligible voters from the rolls. Those who register to vote but are later found to be noncitizens risk felony prosecution for casting a ballot. The Justice Department's warning that election officials could face criminal charges for knowingly allowing noncitizens to vote serves as a reminder of the high stakes in this controversy, which highlights the complexities and challenges involved in protecting the integrity of elections. --- Source: [ABC News Politics](https://abcnews.com/Politics/wireStory/justice-department-urges-sanctions-database-analysis-critical-noncitizen-137757434) Published by News Central Site: https://newscentral.site/us-justice-department-defends-claims-of-noncitizens-registered/